An four teenagers were taken into custody yesterday, following a burglary spree and a high-speed car chase that ended in a crash in Escondido, California, according to the Escondido Police Department. The group targeted at least 10 businesses overnight in central and western Escondido before their apprehension, and detectives are now working with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department to determine if additional burglaries in San Marcos were committed by the group, as previously reported by NBC San Diego.
At around 3:15 a.m. on that fateful day, a security guard in the 600 block of North Broadway in Escondido called the police to report suspicious activity. A homeless man alerted the guard that he saw a group of teens taking what appeared to be an ATM and putting it into a maroon sedan in a nearby parking lot, as the Escondido Police Department detailed in their press release. A broken front window and possible burglary at Donut Star at 675 N. Broadway were soon discovered by the security guard.
Officers found the suspect vehicle on Park Avenue and attempted to approach the teens, who were loading a large safe into the front passenger seat of their car at the time. The group entered the vehicle, backing into a patrol car and then fleeing at high speeds, leading to a five-minute chase through Escondido. Unable to make a right turn from southbound Centre City Parkway to westbound Washington Avenue, the maroon Cadillac crashed into a palm tree in the parking lot of 505 W. Washington Ave.
The teens fled the vehicle after the collision, but they were quickly apprehended. One of them was taken into custody near the car, while the others were caught in the surrounding area. According to NBC San Diego, the 18-year-old suspect, identified as Adrian Jaramillo, is a Hemet resident. He was arrested and charged with burglary, conspiracy, and felony reckless evading and was booked into the Vista Detention Facility. The other teens, two 17-year-olds and a 14-year-old, were also Hemet residents. One of the 17-year-olds had a robbery warrant out of Riverside County and was booked into Juvenile Hall, while the others were released to their parents as they did not meet the requirements for Juvenile Hall under current San Diego County Probation protocol.
In the aftermath of the incident, officers located cash, jewelry, store merchandise, a loaded firearm, and a large safe inside the crashed vehicle. The following businesses in central and western Escondido are believed to have been burglarized overnight by the group:
- Blue Mug Coffee and Tea
- Del's Barber Shop
- Donut Star
- George Burgers
- Glamour Brows
- La Michoacana Plus
- Lourdes Mexican Food
- Sally's Beauty
- 10 Perfect Nails
- Top Trendy Nails and Spa
Anyone with information regarding this series of crimes is encouraged to contact Detective Mike Martinez at (760) 839-4739 or make an anonymous tip via the Escondido Police Department's website or by calling 760-743-TIPS (8477). Escondido Police Department can also be followed on social media @EscondidoPolice for further updates.
