SANTA MARIA – It was a tense and dramatic scene that unfolded before dozens of passing motorists on Highway 101 in Santa Maria on Thursday.
Santa Maria Police officers with guns drawn approached a suspected stolen truck on the southbound side of the highway near Donovan Road.
Police say it is part of an ongoing investigation into the arrest of several suspects linked to a string of car thefts and residential burglaries across the Central Coast.
"We suspect that they may be involved in other crimes", says SMPD Lt. Norman Come, "the vehicle thefts were part of a burglary ring where some residences were entered into and the car keys were obviously obtained as part of the burglary into the home."
Police say they have recovered four reported stolen vehicles, one of which was found parked at the Motel 6 in Santa Maria where the suspects arrested were believed to be staying.
Police say the installation of the Lojack car theft prevention system in one of the stolen cars helped lead them to the suspects.
"If a police car is driving down Broadway and there's a stolen vehicle on the west side of town or the east side of town that has their Lojack activated, the police cruiser will get an arrow indication and a number", Lt. Come says, "that number is sent to police dispatch, which runs the number and a description of the vehicle is sent out and the patrol vehicle can be directed to the location where the Lojack hit is occurring."
Santa Maria Police investigators are working with other Central Coast law enforcement agencies to see if the suspects they have in custody can be linked to other unsolved home burglaries and car thefts.
