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Updated: Burglary suspect arrested after motel standoff

by Anthony Cheval • March 19, 2013

Lancaster Station's Burglary Suppression Team had been tracking a vehicle burglary suspect Christopher Dean and were able to capture him Tuesday morning after a standoff at  The Tropic Motel at 43145 Sierra Highway in Lancaster. (Photo by TONY CHEVAL)
Lancaster Station’s Burglary Suppression Team had been tracking vehicle burglary suspect Christopher Dean and were able to capture him Tuesday morning after a standoff at The Tropic Motel, at 43145 Sierra Highway in Lancaster. (Photos by TONY CHEVAL)

LANCASTER – A parolee believed to have committed several vehicle burglaries and at least one auto theft in Lancaster was captured Tuesday morning after a brief standoff at a local motel, authorities said.

Christopher Dean, 37, was leaving his room at the Tropic Motel around 9 a.m. when he saw several deputies from Lancaster Station’s Burglary Suppression Team approaching the room. The deputies had linked Dean to several local burglaries, tracked him to the Tropic Motel and were coming to arrest him, according to Lancaster Community Relations deputy Michael Rust.

Deputies surrounded contained the area as Dean barricaded himself in a motel room. (TONY CHEVAL)
Deputies contained the area as Dean barricaded himself in a motel room.

When Dean saw the officers, he ran back inside the room, slammed the door shut and barricaded himself as deputies surrounded the motel, Rust said.

The motel was placed on lockdown and deputies contained the area to prevent Dean from escaping, Rust said.

“While deputies were on the back side of the motel room, someone from inside the room opened the window and threw a handgun into the bushes,” Rust said.

Deputies quickly recovered the handgun that was tossed from inside Dean’s room, while giving several verbal commands for Dean to exit the room.

Dean and a minor surrendered, without incident, after about 15 minutes, Rust said.
Dean and a minor surrendered, without incident, after about 15 minutes, Rust said.

“After a few minutes of him being inside the room and them ordering him to come out, he did come out and surrender,” Rust said.

Dean and a 17-year-old male exited the motel room without incident, and both were taken into custody, Rust said, adding that the situation could have ended much worse.

“It’s potentially bad when you have a suspect who’s barricaded himself inside of a room,” Rust said. “It raises the danger level tremendously because we never know what they have inside the room.”

Dean was arrested for being a felon in possession of a handgun, being a felon in possession of ammunition, theft-related charges and narcotics related charges, Rust said.

Inside Dean’s room were several items believed to have been stolen during local burglaries, Rust said. Authorities are now working on processing the items and returning them to their rightful owners, Rust added.

UPDATED: Were any of these items stolen from you?

The items in the photographs below were recovered from Dean’s room at the Tropic Motel, authorities said.

If you were the victim of a burglary in Lancaster, some the stolen items may belong to you. Deputies are asking residents to come to the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station tomorrow (March 20), between 9 a.m. and 2p.m., to identify and claim their items.

You will be asked to provide proof of ownership (i.e. police report #, other identifying info.) before you can claim your belongings. If you are unable to make it to the Lancaster Station tomorrow, but would still like to identify and claim your items, contact Deputy Gore at 661-940-3833.

(Courtesy LASD)
(Courtesy LASD)

Tropic Motel stolen items 2

Tropic Motel stolen items 3

–

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

18 comments for "Updated: Burglary suspect arrested after motel standoff"

  1. Gladys says

    March 20, 2013 at 11:19 am

    I wonder if this is the person who popped the locks out of doors and ransacked the UPS employee parking lot last week on Ave L.

    • wolfeman says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:12 pm

      He did pop my lock thru my drivers door. Lock cylinders in plastic door handles are easly punched thru. Tahoes yukons escalades etc

      • Lori says

        March 20, 2013 at 2:24 pm

        He broke into my daughter’s Yukon on Friday night popped the lock thru the drivers door as well. Glad they caught this moron. My daughter is on her way up to recover her things.

  2. Wolfeman says

    March 20, 2013 at 11:05 am

    Hats off to the officer that noticed someone fishy around my vehicle at Walgreens. Searching thru it without worry while i was inside. An off duty police officer noticed this fellow in my truck. I’m very happy to see something was actually done about this. I was soo mad and flustered I didn’t catch his name, and the dirtbag didn’t have much to take from my truck. TY officer that spotted this guy in my truck and for the officers that followed this guy around seeing what he was up to. I appreciate what you do for us.

  3. Told_ya_so aka Forewarned says

    March 20, 2013 at 8:21 am

    What the heck?! Pull-up diapers?! What is all that other stuff?! Looks like junk. Some crimes are committed because of opportunity. Maybe that’s what this criminal did because none of this junk looks worth anything. Good job Deputies…another scum bag off the streets! ^high-five^

  4. Joe Mama says

    March 20, 2013 at 7:06 am

    Big deal. This guy will be out next month and dropped off again in beautiful downtown Lancaster to commit more crimes.

  5. Mia Lang says

    March 19, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    I was burglarized on Sunday March 10th. I had my purse stolen from my car. I got my purse back the next day. Unfortunately they broke my window. The missing things taken from my purse were a pink sony digital camera, my bank cards, checks, credit cards, $250.00 in cash and change, my ACA coin, all my narco medication for pain ( just had surgery) the day before, a written perscription of mine from kaiser. Please if any of this is found let me know, thanks!!!

    • Lola says

      March 20, 2013 at 1:09 pm

      Never leave your purse in your car. Everywhere you go, know that there are lowlife scumbags watching your every move hoping you’ll be lax so they can take advantage of that.

  6. Julie says

    March 19, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    I hope the economy grows some man jobs…and even then a misdemeanor will close that door…these stolen items look like nickel and dime desperation…no one has to say stealing is wrong…but it is sad to see this…

    • T-Bone says

      March 20, 2013 at 6:31 am

      Yes, this looks like the stuff he couldn’t easily sell/trade quick…

      • Bob says

        March 20, 2013 at 9:37 am

        Stuff a junkie would steal to make a quick buck for a quick fix.

  7. Gladys says

    March 19, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    Is Mr Dean a local guy or is he from…..Vegas?

    • Gladys says

      March 19, 2013 at 5:36 pm

      Nevermind. This guy is white, mid thirties.

      • Yo Mama says

        March 20, 2013 at 8:16 am

        I’m not sure I get the riddle.

  8. QHR says

    March 19, 2013 at 1:13 pm

    Awesome work, deputies! When are these criminals going to learn they do not belong in this city? I also praise Rex Parris for his commitment to wipe out crime.

    • The Good News Is-The Bad News Is Wrong~Amen~TDC........Mama is praying 4u...Just do the right thing my fellow "Cap" says

      March 19, 2013 at 1:41 pm

      AMEN AND AMEN AGAIN…IF THEY ARE NOT WIPED OUT….THEY WILL WIPE US OUT…IT’S THEM AGAINST US…EITHER IT’S A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER….WIPE THEM OUT!!…WE NEED NO SIN IN THE CAMP OR WE CAN NOT WIN THE BATTLE AGAIST CRIME IN THIS CITY….THOSE THAT READ THE WORD OF GOD WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MEANT BY…SIN IN THE CAMP…AS IT IS WRITTEN IN OUR JUSTICE HALLS AND MONEY…IN GOD WE TRUST…BUT CAN GOD TRUST US?…I THINK I JUST PREACHED…LOL…NOW SEND AN OFFEREN TO REX PARRIS…LOVE OUR MAYOR…

      • The Good News Is-The Bad News Is Wrong~Amen~TDC........Mama is praying 4u...Just do the right thing my fellow "Cap" says

        March 19, 2013 at 1:52 pm

        I AM A TDC MEMBER AND SIT ON THE MOTHER’S BROAD…I AM ALSO IN SUPPORT OF OUR MAYOR REX PARRIS…THE LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE…’IT S A DIRTY JOB REX, BUT SOMEBODY GOT TO DO IT-PEACE…LOVE…AND SUPPORT~

        • Yo Mama says

          March 20, 2013 at 8:14 am

          Boy, I [removed] that up…

          “I will choose a path that’s clear. I will choose free will.”

          There. That’s more like it!

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