Officers arrested a grand theft auto suspect in Upland after he attempted to sneak back onto the crime scene in the car he had just stolen, police announced Friday.
The Upland Police Department said officers were talking to the victim in the area of 8th Street and Sinclair Avenue on Wednesday night when the suspect made his reappearance.
According to UPD’s release, “the suspect returned and tried to creep down the street with his lights off in hopes of recovering his backpack.”
Although the suspect successfully found his backpack, he found it in the hands of a police officer who was staring directly at him.
Police said officers had found this backpack next to where the victim’s car was parked, and it contained an ID which, upon research, revealed the suspect not only had priors for GTA, but that he was actively on felony probation for GTA.
“Clearly, this guy makes poor life choices and he wasn’t done yet,” UPD said in its release.
Upon coming face to face with law enforcement, the suspect took off in the stolen Camry, initiating a police chase.
UPD said the man sped off in the car for only a moment before jumping out and running into a nearby apartment complex.
In his haste, the suspect left the stolen car in drive. As a result, police said the car then rolled across 8th Street and crashed into a parked car.
Officers who were still pursuing the suspect set up a perimeter, launched a drone and summoned both of the department’s K9s.
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A stolen Camry is seen here after it crashed into a parked car because a Grand Theft Auto suspect left it in drive when he jumped out during a police chase. January 2025. (Upland Police Department) -
A stolen Camry is seen here after it crashed into a parked car because a Grand Theft Auto suspect left it in drive when he jumped out during a police chase. January 2025. (Upland Police Department) -
Officers used a drone to help track down a Grand Theft Auto suspect who was on the run. January 2025. (Upland Police Department) -
Police footage shows one of two K9s preparing to aid officers track down a Grand Theft Auto suspect who was on the run. January 2025. (Upland Police Department) -
Officers are seen arresting a Grand Theft Auto suspect after he attempted to sneak back onto the crime scene in the car he had just stolen. January 2025. (Upland Police Department)
“Once the suspect was given K9 warnings, along with hearing two different police dogs barking from opposite sides of the fence (there’s no picking your poison in this situation), he wisely surrendered,” said UPD.
Officials did not immediately identify the suspect.
“The suspect went to jail on multiple felonies, the silver lining for him… he got his backpack back,” concluded the department’s release.
