What started as a typical match night near BMO Stadium on Wednesday turned bizarre when an LAPD cruiser disappeared from Exposition Park and later resurfaced all the way in San Juan Capistrano, according to police.
The patrol car was taken near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Figueroa Street, within walking distance of BMO Stadium, while an LAFC game was underway. The department then launched an aerial and freeway search after the vehicle was spotted on the 110 Freeway.
What police said
According to ABC7, the missing cruiser, a black-and-white Crown Victoria, was taken shortly before 8 p.m. near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Figueroa Street. AIR7 was overhead as officers worked to track down the vehicle, and the LAPD told reporters there were no weapons inside the car.
Match-night traffic and location
The incident unfolded while LAFC was hosting Real Salt Lake at BMO Stadium, according to the club's schedule. BMO Stadium sits next to Exposition Park and is only a block from the 110 Freeway, which likely helps explain how the cruiser was seen on the Harbor Freeway shortly after the theft, as noted in the venue's getting-here guidance.
Where it ended
Police later confirmed the cruiser was located and recovered in San Juan Capistrano, ABC7 reports. Authorities did not immediately release any information about arrests or charges connected to the incident.
Why it matters
Stolen police cruisers are uncommon, but past cases have triggered internal reviews, including a Los Angeles Times investigation into a 2017 incident involving cadets who took department vehicles and equipment. City and department officials have not yet detailed any changes to vehicle security or tracking in the wake of this latest recovery.
