Three people, including two juveniles, were arrested over the weekend after a pursuit in the North Bay linked them to retail thefts at several Nike stores, authorities reported.
According to Petaluma Police, officers were called to the Nike Store at the Petaluma Village Premium Outlets shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday. Employees reported that a man had stolen armfuls of merchandise valued at over $950. The suspect fled in a silver Ford F-150 pickup truck before police arrived at the scene.
Later that day, an officer traveling on southbound Highway 101 spotted a pickup truck matching the description of the vehicle involved in the theft. The officer recognized the truck’s license plate as matching a vehicle seen in a previous theft at the Nike store the week before. After requesting air support from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, officers pursued the vehicle as it traveled into Novato. Additional resources were called in, including the California Highway Patrol and Novato police.
Despite the police attempting a traffic stop, the driver of the truck failed to yield, leading officers on a three-mile pursuit before being stopped just past Ignacio Blvd. on southbound Highway 101. All three individuals inside the vehicle were detained, and evidence from the theft was found.
The investigation revealed additional stolen goods from Nike stores in Napa and Vacaville. In total, officers recovered $3,000 worth of merchandise.
The primary suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jose Garcia Cruz of Richmond, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on charges of conspiracy, organized retail theft, shoplifting, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The driver of the Ford and a passenger, both juveniles, were booked into juvenile hall on similar charges, including conspiracy and organized retail theft. The driver was also booked for evading officers with a motor vehicle.
