Police Arrest 3 Carjacking Suspects Following Pursuit

Police pursued three carjacking suspects through an East Oakland neighborhood on Tuesday after seeing the suspects drive by in the stolen car while interviewing the victim, police said today.

Three suspects were taken into custody after a search of the neighborhood involving a helicopter and a police dog, according to police.

The carjacking was reported in the 6900 block of Fresno Street at 11:40 a.m., police said.

The suspects pistol-whipped a San Leandro resident driving in the area and stole the car. While officers were talking to the victim, they saw the suspects drive by.

Other Oakland police officers responding to assist tried to pull the suspects over but they fled. After police pursued the suspects for about a mile, they stopped the car in the area of 78th Avenue and Ritchie Street and ran into the neighborhood, police said.

Officers set up a perimeter in the area to conduct a yard-by-yard search for the suspects, warning residents a dog could be released. Limited traffic was allowed in the area and Aspire College Academy at 8030 Atherton St. was locked down.

Three Oakland residents -- two men and a juvenile girl -- were eventually arrested, police said. The officers also found a gun inside the carjacked vehicle. The names of the three suspects have not been released.

The perimeter in the neighborhood was lifted by about 1:30 p.m. and streets were reopened to normal traffic. Anyone with information about the investigation has been asked to contact Oakland police at (510) 238-3326.

--Bay City News