PALMDALE – A 26-year-old Lancaster man who allegedly carjacked a Mercedes SUV, then used it as a getaway car while stealing alcohol from Palmdale convenience stores was busted late Monday night.
Santiago Orozco was jailed for vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance, bringing drugs into a jail facility, possession of a dagger, possession of brass knuckles, burglary, and receiving stolen property.
The following is the press release from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station:
Palmdale deputies responded to two separate theft calls on Sunday and Monday [Nov. 25 & 26], indicating a Hispanic male driving a Gold Mercedes SUV entered gas station convenience stores and stole alcohol before fleeing in the SUV.
During the deputies’ investigation, the license plate of the SUV was discovered and the vehicle was identified as being stolen during a carjacking on the November 19 in the Los Angeles Police Department’s area.
Using this information, deputies Trevillyan and Hanley began patrolling gas stations, hoping to find the suspect.
At 11:45 p.m. on Monday, deputies Trevillyan and Hanley were entering the AM/PM gas station near the 400 West Block of Palmdale Boulevard when they observed the stolen SUV parked in front of the location and a Hispanic male standing outside of the vehicle.
As deputies approached the vehicle, the suspect began running from the deputies across the parking lot towards a nearby hotel.
Deputies were able to pursue and detain the suspect without incident and found on his person a set of brass knuckles, a black handled dagger, and later methamphetamine.
While searching the inside of the stolen SUV, deputies also recovered a BB gun consistent with the one described during the carjacking, and several credit cards, check books, and personal items later identified as being taken during the commission of several burglaries over the past month.
The suspect, 26-year-old Lancaster resident Santiago Orozco, was transported to the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station where he was booked on charges of vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance, bringing drugs into a jail facility, possession of a dagger, possession of brass knuckles, burglary, and receiving stolen property.
The ongoing investigation is being handled by the Palmdale Sheriff Station’s Detective Bureau.
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