MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT
For Immediate Release No. 20210106-005
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Suspect Arrested After Evading Police in a Stolen Car. Additional Stolen Vehicle and Suspects Outstanding.
San Mateo, CA – Early Wednesday morning, San Mateo police officers located and arrested a suspect associated with auto theft and other charges after a short pursuit ended in a collision. Officers located the suspect after he fled on foot with the driver of a getaway car. The stolen vehicle and at least two additional suspects are being sought by police.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 4:14 a.m., San Mateo Police Department officers were called to the 100 block of 19th Avenue on report of a stolen vehicle, a white 2019 Toyota Tacoma truck. As officers began saturating the area, they noticed a black Toyota Camry leaving the nearby area at a high rate of speed northbound Leslie Street from Gum Street. Knowing there is typically a getaway car and crew used for certain crimes, officers pursued the Camry. The suspects failed to stop when signaled by police, leading them on a short vehicle pursuit. While turning onto 17th Ave. from Leslie St., the suspect lost control of the vehicle and drove onto a telephone pole guidewire causing the car to land in an upright position against the pole. Both suspects (driver and passenger) leapt from the vertically standing Camry and ran northbound from officers. Additional officers set up a perimeter and conducted a thorough search for the subjects. The passenger was located and arrested at El Camino Real / 16th Avenue. In his possession was drug paraphernalia and keys belonging to a Ford, Toyota, Volvo, and other unmarked keys. Officers learned the Camry had been stolen out of San Francisco. The driver of the Camry was not located and is currently outstanding. He is described as an adult Hispanic male wearing a red and black sweatshirt, that had since been discarded. The stolen Toyota Tacoma and associated driver are still outstanding as well.
Further investigation revealed the Toyota Tacoma’s owner had his Chevrolet Blazer stolen back on Sunday, July 19, 2020. Keys for the Toyota Tacoma were inside and taken by suspects at that time. The night following the Chevy theft, Monday, July 20, 2020, three suspects returned to steal the Tacoma but were scared away by the victim. Hence, the suspects return early this Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021 where they successfully stole the truck likely using the stolen keys from July. The Chevy has since been recovered, but officers are now in search of the stolen Tacoma.
The San Mateo Police Department is actively working this case and we are asking our community’s help to identify the additional occupant of the Toyota Camry and those responsible for stealing the Toyota Tacoma, in addition to locating the missing truck.
Use a Tracking System or Vehicle Immobilizer on Your Car
A tracking system that emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the car is reported stolen. Tracking systems are effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles.
Vehicle immobilizers prevent thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Popular third-level devices include:
- Smart keys — contain specially-coded computer chips or radio frequencies. Without the exact key, the vehicle’s engine cannot be started
- Fuse cut-offs
- Kill switches — inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch is activated
- Starter, ignition, and fuel disablers
Always Lock Your Car and Never Leave Valuables Inside
CONTACT POLICE
Anyone with information on the identity of the involved suspects are asked to contact the San Mateo Police Department at
[email protected] or call (650) 522-7700 and reference case number 21-0106-002. Anonymous tips can be submitted to
http://tinyurl.com/SMPDTips or by calling (650) 522-7676.
ARRESTED
Ignacio Antonio Montoya, 26-year-old San Francisco transient
Charges: Vehicle theft (10851(a) CVC), conspiracy to commit crime (182(a)1 PC), resist a public officer (148(a)1 PC), possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia (11364 HS), and possession of burglary tools (466 PC)
MEDIA CONTACT
Michael Haobsh
Public Information Officer | Office of the Chief
City of San Mateo Police Department
200 Franklin Pkwy, San Mateo, CA 94403
650-522-7626 |
[email protected]
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