Owner of stolen balloon van recalls moments thief drove away, later leading to police pursuit
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and California Highway Patrol pursued a stolen balloon/party supplies van along Interstate 10 Wednesday evening.
News Channel 3’s Dani Romero speaks to the woman who was shocked to see a strange man drive the van drive away just as she was loading up for a birthday party delivery.
“Its an eye opener we’re like we are not as safe as we think we are," said Lizette Vela, owner of Funtastik Balloons Party Supplies store.
Lizette Vela relives the moment her van was stolen.
“He had black glasses had a hat on he had like a beard and black shirt and black pants," said Vela.
Vela’s van was parked here in front of her party supply shop. Two of her employees were loading up the car then things got serious .
“Not even a minute it was just like we had seen him approaching we thought oh he’s just going to walk by because there’s a lunch restaurant next door," said Vela.
Instead, the man got in and took off. Vela called police and her husband who later spotted the van near Hovley gardens. He chased it while taking this video.
“He didn’t want him to get away, I am right here calling the cops, come and get him," said Vela.
unleashing a police chase on interstate 10 as you see video from News Channel 3’s I-10 camera.
The driver’s joyride ended when CHP officers deployed spike strips. Police told News Channel 3 the driver, a 40-year-old mecca man, was arrested on charges of felony evading and had several outstanding warrants.
“All the tires are flat and of course I don’t know the inside of the engine, he was running it over 100 miles per hour," said Vela.
Vela is glad no one was hurt but is on alert
“its just alot we have to think do we need to be more careful do we need pepper spray now we have to work in the back we can’t be in the its just alot and it scared the girls.”
The owner of Funtastik Balloon Party Supplies told News Channel 3 that the van was stolen as she and two others were putting balloons inside the vehicle. The owner said the thief snuck in and managed to get inside the vehicle and took off.
She added that a 16-year-old who was helping was in the van as the thief got in the vehicle but they managed to get out just before the thief took off.
We captured the pursuit on our I-10 Cam as it passed through.
