Man Arrested After Car Theft, Early Morning Pursuit, Police Say

DANVILLE, CA — Danville police have arrested a Crockett man Thursday morning, hours after police say he stole a car, then ditched it and ran.

Matthew Robert Smith, 37, was arrested on suspicion of driving a stolen car, looting during the pandemic, violating parole and being a felon in possession of a stun gun, police said around 10 a.m. He will be booked into the Martinez county jail.

Police said a car was stolen from the owner's property at 600 block of El Pintado Road at 4:50 a.m. Police found the car close to the site of the theft around 5:17 a.m., near El Alamo and Nathan Lane.

The person continued driving, with officers behind them, police said. They stopped the car at the end of El Rio Court and ran.

Danville police, Contra Costa County Sheriff's deputies, a K-9 and a drone all joined in the search, to no avail, police said.

Officers stopped searching at 6:20 a.m., but continued investigating and announced the arrest hours later.