Men suspected of trying to steal brass street lights in Pasadena (KTLA-TV) |
PASADENA -- Two men are under arrest in Pasadena after they allegedly tried to steal some historic solid brass street lights, and then led police on a high-speed chase.
The pursuit ended with the suspected thieves crashing into a house in Highland Park early Saturday morning.
The suspects have been identified as Steven Dickinson, 52, of Eagle Rock, and Frank Bise, 43, of Lancaster.
Police say two public works employees saw two men in a white van intentionally knock over a 90-year-old brass street light at Waverly Drive and Orange Grove Boulevard, near the Tournament of Roses House.
The employees notified police, and the suspects, apparently aware that they had been spotted, fled the scene.
Pasadena police located the suspects' van a short distance away and tried to stop them. The suspects refused to pull over, and instead got on the Pasadena (110) Freeway.
The pursuit reached speeds close to 100 mph, according to police.
The suspects eventually got off the freeway at Avenue 52 and sped uphill through a residential area of Highland Park. They crashed into a house at the top of Avenue 52 at Aldama Street.
The suspects jumped out of the van and ran in different directions. One of them was apprehended quickly in the backyard of a nearby home.
The second suspect hid in the backyard of a home in the 5200 block of San Rafael. Officers surrounded the house with weapons drawn, and eventually arrested the man in the front yard.
Police determined the van they were driving had been stolen, and also had stolen license plates on it.
The men were booked on suspicion of grand theft and charges of evading police related to the pursuit.
Authorities think the men intended to sell the brass street lights as scrap metal for cash.
Police think the same men may be responsible for a series of thefts of city property.
About 18 street lamps have been stolen in about a year's time, and five have been taken in the last 2-3 weeks, according to the city of Pasadena.
Authorities say rising commodity prices have been a stimulus for the property crimes.
The pursuit ended with the suspected thieves crashing into a house in Highland Park early Saturday morning.
The suspects have been identified as Steven Dickinson, 52, of Eagle Rock, and Frank Bise, 43, of Lancaster.
Police say two public works employees saw two men in a white van intentionally knock over a 90-year-old brass street light at Waverly Drive and Orange Grove Boulevard, near the Tournament of Roses House.
The employees notified police, and the suspects, apparently aware that they had been spotted, fled the scene.
Pasadena police located the suspects' van a short distance away and tried to stop them. The suspects refused to pull over, and instead got on the Pasadena (110) Freeway.
The pursuit reached speeds close to 100 mph, according to police.
The suspects eventually got off the freeway at Avenue 52 and sped uphill through a residential area of Highland Park. They crashed into a house at the top of Avenue 52 at Aldama Street.
The suspects jumped out of the van and ran in different directions. One of them was apprehended quickly in the backyard of a nearby home.
The second suspect hid in the backyard of a home in the 5200 block of San Rafael. Officers surrounded the house with weapons drawn, and eventually arrested the man in the front yard.
Police determined the van they were driving had been stolen, and also had stolen license plates on it.
The men were booked on suspicion of grand theft and charges of evading police related to the pursuit.
Authorities think the men intended to sell the brass street lights as scrap metal for cash.
Police think the same men may be responsible for a series of thefts of city property.
About 18 street lamps have been stolen in about a year's time, and five have been taken in the last 2-3 weeks, according to the city of Pasadena.
Authorities say rising commodity prices have been a stimulus for the property crimes.
