Short pursuit leads to arrest

A Porterville man is behind bars on suspicion of burglary, auto theft and felony evading police following a pursuit that ended in the Lindsay area.

Gusgtavo Garcia, 32, was booked into the Tulare County jail after he was arrested Tuesday.
According to police, at approximately 7:19 p.m. Tuesday officers from the Porterville Police Department responded to Veteran’s Park regarding a vehicle burglary that just occurred.

Police were told by witnesses they observed a male subject breaking the window to the victim’s vehicle. The suspect took a purse from the vehicle and fled the scene in a gray Ford Focus. Witnesses to the theft contacted the Police Department and provided the description of the suspect vehicle, which was last seen fleeing northbound on Newcomb Street.

Officers located the Ford Focus and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield and a pursuit began. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle stopped momentarily then continued to evade from the officer. The California Highway Patrol and Lindsay Police Department took over the pursuit and the suspect, later identified as Gustavo Garcia, abandoned the vehicle.

A perimeter was established and a search was conducted with the use of a Porterville Police K-9; however, Garcia was not located. It was later determined the Ford Focus that Garcia was driving was an unreported stolen vehicle taken from Porterville. The purse taken during the burglary at Veteran’s Park was recovered and returned to the victim.

The Ford Focus was returned to the registered owner who responded to the scene. With the assistance of the Lindsay Public Safety Department, Garcia was located at his residence and taken into custody.