Wild OC Chase Involves Fake Bank Robbery, Mall Heist, School Lockdown

BREA, CA — Four people were arrested and face charges after a grand theft Tuesday at the Brea Mall led to a high-speed chase and an elementary school lockdown, police said.

Officers arrested one person after receiving a suspicious person report shortly before noon in the parking lot near Macy’s at the mall, according to police. Around the same time, authorities received a call about an armed robbery at a nearby Wells Fargo bank that turned out to be fake and was likely made to distract law enforcement, police said, noting three suspects fled Macy’s a short time later, following a grand theft.

The trio led officers on a high-speed chase along Randolph Avenue and Birch Street, and eventually lost authorities, according to police, but a few minutes later, members of the public reported the suspects’ car in a lot near Imperial Highway and South Orange Avenue.

Officers saw the trio get into the vehicle near Laurel Elementary School, stopped the car and took the suspects into custody, forcing a brief lockdown at the school, police said.

The following people were arrested:

• Louie Velasco, of South Gate, was arrested on suspicion of identity theft, access card fraud, drug paraphernalia possession and providing false identifying information.
• Jocelyn Mendoza, of Simi Valley, was arrested on suspicion of theft, conspiracy, providing false identifying information and falsely reporting an emergency.
• Sherry Rogers, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of theft and conspiracy.
• Marlon Deleon, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of theft, conspiracy, providing false identifying information, evading an officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, drug possession while armed, and multiple warrants.