On Thursday, the El Cajon Police Department apprehended an auto theft suspect who had barricaded himself in a motel room paid for by a San Diego County Homeless Voucher Program, after a dramatic standoff where the man threatened to set the room on fire, according to a police statement.
This incident began when the El Cajon Police Department received information that the GPS system on a stolen vehicle was showing it parked at the Best Inn & Suites at 1274 Oakdale Avenue, Fox 5 San Diego reports. The police managed to identify the suspect on surveillance video entering a motel room, which was paid for through the county's EQUUS-administered voucher program intended to provide temporary shelter for homeless individuals.
Authorities identified the suspect as 43-year-old Randy Hanks, an early-release felon on probation with an active felony warrant for theft related charges. Officers discovered that Hanks was alone in the motel room and a guest of the registered occupant, leading to an attempt to contact him as he stood on the second floor balcony.
However, Hanks refused to come outside the room and barricaded the door once he reentered the room, holding up a lighter and a can of lighter fluid, and threatening to set the room on fire if officers tried to enter, as reported by the Times of San Diego. In response, the El Cajon Police Department called in their Crisis Negotiations Team to speak with Hanks, while other officers began evacuating surrounding motel rooms, ensuring the safety of all involved.
After an intense standoff, Hanks finally exited the motel room and was arrested without further incident. He was subsequently booked into San Diego County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, and his outstanding felony warrant, as mentioned in the police statement.
