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Burglary chase ends on Long Beach bridge
A group of suspected pharmacy burglars lead a tense police chase that ended in Long Beach.
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Six people are in custody and five are still being sought in connection with a carjacking and pharmacy burglary that led to a police chase in Long Beach Monday.
It all began when a suspect carjacked a vehicle with a passenger inside in the 1200 block of West Eighth Street in the San Pedro area just before 3:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The passenger was released and not harmed.
The suspect in the stolen vehicle then picked up about 10 of his friends, police said.
They then proceeded to burglarize a pharmacy in the Wilmington area around 4:20 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
At the scene, responding officers found several men using a chainsaw to try and open the door. When officers arrived, the group of about 11 suspects got into a vehicle and drove away, leading authorities on a pursuit until they reached the bridge.
That's where the suspects ditched the car and fled on foot, authorities said.
It was earlier reported that the suspects had jumped into the water from the bridge, but police later said this was not the case.
Six of the suspects were eventually arrested.
The bridge, formerly known as the Gerald Desmond Bridge, along with part of the 710 Freeway, was closed about 6:30 a.m. at the request of police, according to the CHP, snarling Monday morning traffic for several hours. All lanes reopened just after noon.