Two Colombian citizens were taken into custody in California after an automated license plate recognition system alerted law enforcement to a stolen Mercedes-Benz, which had been linked to a brutal carjacking incident days prior, according to official reports.
The vehicle, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300, was initially reported stolen during a violent carjacking and assault involving a deadly weapon in Hawthorne, California, on July 11. This information was detailed in a news release issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Vehicle Located Through Technology
Several days after the initial incident, sheriff's deputies received an alert from an automated license plate reader indicating that the stolen car was traveling through the area of Rolling Hills Estates. As deputies began searching for the Mercedes, they also learned that the vehicle had been connected to a recent residential burglary that occurred in Torrance.
Deputies successfully located the Mercedes and initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Palos Verdes Drive North and Rolling Vista Drive.
Traffic Stop Leads to Pursuit and Arrests
As the stolen vehicle came to a halt, a passenger abruptly exited and fled the scene on foot. This prompted deputies to establish a perimeter around the area to contain the individual, as stated by the sheriff’s department.
The driver, identified as Yareht Pedraza, 26, from Bogotá, Colombia, was immediately apprehended at the location of the traffic stop.
The sheriff's department elaborated on the subsequent search:
"With deputies securing the perimeter and an LASD airship overhead, the search quickly shifted from the streets to the skies. Within a short time, the passenger was located and taken into custody."
The fleeing passenger, Alan Pena Sabogn, 21, also from Bogotá, was later found and arrested. He faces charges of failing to obey a lawful order, obstructing a peace officer, and providing false identification. Authorities also confirmed that Sabogn was wanted on an outstanding felony no-bail burglary warrant from Colorado.
The sheriff's department highlighted the effectiveness of their methods, stating:
"This arrest is another example of how technology, proactive policing, and teamwork between deputies, dispatchers, and Air Support help quickly identify suspects and remove them from our communities."