Three suspects were taken into custody after a shoplifting investigation at the Folsom Premium Outlets escalated into a pursuit that stretched into Sacramento and required the coordination of multiple law enforcement agencies.
On August 14, Folsom police officers patrolling the outlets observed suspicious activity in the parking lot near the Nike store. Officers believed two men and a woman had stolen merchandise, but before the investigation could move forward, the trio fled into a nearby restaurant. When they spotted officers outside, the suspects bolted through another exit, jumped into a BMW, and sped away.
A pursuit began and headed west onto Highway 50 toward Sacramento. Officers terminated the chase when conditions became unsafe, but a Be On the Lookout alert was quickly broadcast. Soon after, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Police Air Unit, and California Highway Patrol located the vehicle in Sacramento.
The second pursuit ended on the 5800 block of Hamilton Street, where the suspects abandoned the BMW and attempted to flee on foot. All three were apprehended and taken into custody without further incident.
Authorities identified the suspects as Vailoauta Lopa, 40, arrested for theft, resisting arrest, and an outstanding warrant; Maryssa Meza, 35, arrested for felony evasion, resisting arrest, and an outstanding warrant; and Estephan Villegas, 39, arrested for resisting arrest and an outstanding warrant. All three were booked at Sacramento County Jail.
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