Beach-Loving Car Thief Takes Stolen Toyota Camry on Scenic Route During Police Chase
What do you do when your stolen car gets beached? You jump out and go for a swim.
A beach-loving car thief made waves this past weekend when he led police on a high-speed chase through southern Los Angeles, which ultimately ended when his stolen Toyota Camry got stuck on the sand.
According to reports, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department first spotted the stolen Camry on Saturday evening and began pursuit of the alleged car thief. The driver of the Toyota then led police on a short drive to the coastline, ending up in nearby Playa Del Rey.
Video footage of the chase shows the driver leaving the roadway and navigating onto a concrete walking path for a short period of time before veering into the sand. People can be seen grabbing their pets and shielding their children as the car careened close by, while onlookers filmed the chase with their phones for social media.
The little Camry-that-could chugged along the shore, digging its way deeper into the sand as it drove along the coastline. Eventually, the car seemingly became disabled after it could no longer push on and the thief was forced to exit the vehicle.
The suspect exited the Camry with his hands raised and drank something out of a can before meandering into the cold ocean water in an attempt to evade police. Video of the altercation shows the man standing in waist-deep water as the waves pushed him back and forth. Eventually, three officers pulled him to shore and placed him into custody.
It might seem bizarre that the suspect chose the beach of all places to take the stolen Camry, but as the witnesses told a local news station, his options weren't much better on the main roads. In fact, the roads surrounding the beach in Playa Del Rey were filled with speed bumps and dead-end roads.