Carjacked SUV Crashes Into Castro Valley Home

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — Two vehicles were carjacked overnight, one in Castro Valley and the other in San Leandro. During the carjacking in San Leandro, the victim was stabbed in the leg. Both vehicles crashed in Castro Valley, one into a home where two elderly women lived, and the other into a fence. Two teens, ages 16, and 17 were taken into custody, and two other suspects got away. Multiple agencies are still sorting out what happened in the wild crime spree.

The first carjacking happened in San Leandro, according to San Leandro Police Lieutenant Isaac Benabou. He said that just before midnight a man was sitting inside his vehicle talking on his cell phone, while parked in the parking lot of the San Leandro Main Library. He had his dog with him inside the car.

Benabou said in a written release that the suspects in dark clothing approached his vehicle and suddenly smashed a back window. "The victim exited his vehicle and was confronted by the suspects who demanded his vehicle keys and cell phone," Benabou reports. "The victim reached back into his vehicle to get his dog when he was stabbed in the back of his leg with a small knife. The victim was then kicked to the ground and further assaulted before he gave up his vehicle keys and cell phone. The suspects then got into the victim's car but before driving off, gave the victim his dog and cell phone." The victim's injury is not considered life threatening.

The second carjacking happened in Castro Valley. A woman was confronted in her driveway. She initially resisted the carjackers, but gave up her car keys when her young daughter came out of the house. The mother and child were not hurt.

About an hour after the San Leandro theft, that vehicle crashed into a home in Castro Valley. There was extensive structural damage to the home, causing a natural gas leak that was later controlled by PG&E. Two elderly women who live in the home were not hurt. No one was arrested at the scene, but someone who fled on foot from the vehicle was taken into custody nearby.

The vehicle carjacked in Castro Valley crashed into a fence after a chase by sheriff's deputies. One person was taken into custody.

Both of the suspects taken into custody were taken to hospitals for treatment following the crashes.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office reports that the two suspects who escaped are also believed to be teens. No names or descriptions were released.

An investigation by multiple agencies continues.

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