Readers were right – again – yesterday – as an attempt to stop an individual suspected of rummaging through a car in a parking garage at 1390 N. Broadway turned into a car chase, foot pursuit, chair-tossing and rugby scrum tackle of the suspect outside the Lafayette Whole Foods store.
Witnesses said the incident kicked off about 5 p.m., with Walnut Creek police falling in behind the suspected car burglar – dubbed “Bears” by at least one local police chief who launched a “Don’t Feed the Bears” campaign after an uptick in car burglaries, after they spotted the man driving a stolen vehicle south on N. Broadway.
In a virtual replay of events from earlier in the day, a police attempt to stop the car proved unsuccessful, and officers pursued the car west on Highway 24 and into Lafayette, where the suspect jumped from his car in full view of stunned witnesses outside Whole Foods and attempted to flee on foot.
As police closed in, police said the suspect, later identified as 30-year-old Teluluai Lesiu of San Jose, threw a chair at the pursuing officers, striking one in the leg.
“That’s when everyone sort of jumped in,” said Martina Leigh, shopping in the store at the time. “It looked like one giant dogfight.”
Apparently several officers and at least one civilian joined in the takedown. The injured officer was treated for a cut to his leg and later released. Lesiu, a convicted felon, was transported to Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) and booked on seven felonies and two misdemeanors.
Throw the book at him! Then give him the chair!! It’s only right he gets what he gave!!
He looks happy!
Pretty crazy. Long summer ahead.
Two chases on the same day in the same area?
Everyone gets trapped in that parking lot. I circled around in there for hours once.
Not the kind of excitement I need.
Welcome to Lafayette! Now turn around and put your hands behind your back please…
What a fine young man. ( not)
And what’s with all these interesting first names lately on the criminals arrested.
I hear he was arrested for doing similar four years ago. Something’s broken in our system.
Good work shirt citizen and police and citizen hero.
Plenty more where he came from I’m afraid.
these chases are getting to be like spectator sport. everyone is joining in. we are praying no one gets injured and sorry to hear that an officer was hurt though apparently no seriously.
Sorry everyone, but I have to add a PS…. you know me by now: our criminal justice system in the state is broken. This guy was a convicted felon still running around. We need to start getting tough. Judges and politicians need to start worrying about and protecting the good public instead of the criminals’ comfort. We people are getting mad. Enough social justice experimentation…. It ain’t working. Start protecting us good citizens!
My wife used to work in loss protection. She said they got about 5% of the shoplifters who came through. They saw a lot of organized theft rings.
Crazy