Robbery at Thousand Oaks mall launches pursuit into LA County

This story has been updated with new information.

A robbery reported at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks Thursday afternoon launched a pursuit that ended in Los Angeles County, where five suspects were ultimately arrested.

The robbery was reported around 3:50 p.m. near the Macy's Men's & Home store in the popular shopping center at 350 W. Hillcrest Drive, according to Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Carl Patterson. The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in Thousand Oaks.

The two victims are in their 70s, authorities said in an update Friday. The five suspects, all in their teens, are from Los Angeles.

One victim, a 79-year-old Camarillo man, was punched in the nose, Patterson said Thursday, and his nose was broken by the blow. The man's Rolex watch was taken.

The other victim, a 77-year old Westlake Village woman, was also struck in the face. She suffered a minor injury to her lip, Patterson said. Her purse, with her iPhone inside, was taken. Both victims were transported to a hospital for treatment.

A deputy spotted the possible suspect vehicle, described as a green Honda Accord, near southbound Highway 101 and Lynn Road. When authorities tried to pull over the car, the driver didn't stop, launching a pursuit.

The suspects threw a firearm out the window of the car, Patterson said, and trailing sheriff's deputies recovered the handgun. The weapon was later found to be stolen out of Glendora, authorities said Friday.

The chase at times reached high speeds, at one point hitting 100 mph as the Honda headed southbound on the freeway, according to radio traffic. Deputies requested a helicopter from Los Angeles County to assist.

The suspects exited around the Las Virgenes Road exit, Patterson said. They hit a parked car at one point.

The pursuit ended in Calabasas when the car turned onto a dead-end cul-de-sac on Raven Court. The site is near Cottonwood Grove Trail and Lost Springs Drive in a neighborhood that runs along the west side of Lost Hills Road.

Four of the suspects fled on foot while one stayed in the car.

The Lost Hills Station of the LA County Sheriff's Department issued an alert around 4:35 p.m. Thursday warning residents to shelter in place. The message described three male suspects believed to be armed and dangerous in the area.

Ventura County deputies set up a perimeter and eventually took all five suspects into custody, Patterson said. Some were taken into custody at gunpoint, according to radio traffic. The car was seized for processing.

One of the suspects had the victim's watch, officials said Friday.

On Friday, authorities provided more information about the suspects.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of multiple felonies, including robbery, elder abuse, evading, criminal street gang and stolen vehicle offenses. They were booked into Ventura County's main jail, with bail set at $100,000 each and an arraignment hearing scheduled for Monday, jail records showed.

Two male juveniles, both 17, and a 13-year-old female suspect were lodged at the county's Juvenile Facilities complex outside Oxnard on suspicion of felony robbery, conspiracy, elder abuse and firearms violations, authorities said.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Robbery at Thousand Oaks mall launches pursuit into LA County