What started as a theft-in-progress call at an Alhambra CVS turned into a short, messy getaway attempt that ended with three arrests, three banged-up vehicles and one unlucky fire hydrant, according to the Alhambra Police Department.
Police say officers responded to a report of a theft inside the store and watched as three women piled into a white car and tried to bolt. The escape plan did not last long. The vehicle slammed into three other cars, clipped a fire hydrant and finally came to a stop. Two passengers surrendered right away, while the driver took off on foot and was later found hiding under a tarp behind a nearby home, according to the department.
Video posted by the Alhambra Police Department shows the white vehicle rolling out of the CVS parking lot as officers track the chaos from above. The footage follows the car as it crashes into the parked vehicles and the hydrant before the driver bolts. Officers say a search of the car turned up meth pipes, multiple stolen debit cards and blank checks. In its post, the department identified the three arrested as Nicole Smith, Enjoli Jordan and Ashlee Robinson, and said they were booked into the APD jail. The post also notes that the driver had been released on parole the previous day and has multiple prior convictions for vehicle theft, according to the department.
Drone Video Helped Officers Track The Suspects
Alhambra officers did not just rely on patrol cars on the ground. The department has leaned on drones before in retail-theft cases, including a 2025 incident where officers tracked a shoplifter from the air to his hiding spot. The latest video follows the same playbook, with aerial views helping officers quickly zero in on where their suspects went.
Arrests And Evidence
According to the Alhambra Police Department, officers ultimately took Nicole Smith, Enjoli Jordan and Ashlee Robinson into custody and booked them at the city jail. Police say they recovered drug paraphernalia, including meth pipes, along with blank checks and several stolen debit cards from inside the car. The department also says the driver has a record of past vehicle-theft convictions and had only been out on parole for a day when the crash and arrests occurred.
Retail Theft Trends And Local Enforcement
The case lands as law enforcement agencies across Southern California keep a close eye on organized retail theft. NBC Los Angeles recently reported on arrests tied to a suspected retail-theft ring in the San Fernando Valley, one of several operations that have drawn regional attention. At the national level, industry groups are pushing for stronger tools to fight these kinds of coordinated crimes, and the National Retail Federation has backed federal legislation that would bolster resources and funding for retailers and police.
Legal Note
Because the driver was reportedly on parole, this arrest could trigger a parole hold and possible revocation process under California law. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says parolees are generally entitled to a probable-cause hearing and then a final revocation hearing within roughly 45 days, a separate track that deals with supervision status rather than deciding guilt or innocence on any new charges, according to CDCR.
