LOMPOC, Calif. -- A man accused of wrestling an elderly Lompoc woman to the
ground and stealing her car Saturday night has been caught in Bakersfield this
afternoon.
Police say the suspect was
selling candy outside McDonald's before allegedly attacking the woman.
Police say due to realignment,
the community should be on the lookout for more criminals on the streets.
Skid marks and a pile of
chocolate are all the evidence left of a carjacking Saturday night in Lompoc
outside of McDonald's. An elderly woman was walking to her car when police say a
suspect grabbed her keys and wrestled her to the ground. Some bystanders tried
to intervene but the suspect got away.
"He ran over her arm and there
was blood and a lot of spots right there," says witness David Wilson.
Police say suspect Charles
Cerrutti has an extensive criminal history and was selling chocolate outside the
McDonald's before taking off in the woman's 1997 Mercury
Cougar.
"That's pretty crazy for Lompoc,"
says Lompoc resident Alex Morales. "I never heard of something like that
happening here. It seems like it's getting worse."
Police say this is another symptom
of realignment and warn the community to be on the lookout as more criminals hit
the streets.
"In today's climate with the
revolving door and the overcrowded jail system, be aware of your surroundings,"
says Lompoc Police Department Sergeant Joe Stetz. "It's not judging someone but
you can be smart. Use common sense when you're walking through parking
lots."
The woman is being treated at
Lompoc Hospital for minor injuries. Cerrutti is being held in Kern County Jail
until transferring to Lompoc City Jail.
