MANSFIELD, Texas - Three people were arrested on Monday after Mansfield police say they fled from a Target in a stolen vehicle following a shoplifting incident that led to a pursuit ending in a crash on Interstate 20.
Target shoplifting and stolen car tracking
Target
What we know:
Mansfield police responded around 3:02 p.m. to a report of shoplifting in progress at the Target store in the 1800 block of North U.S. 287 Frontage Road, according to authorities.
The driver of the Camry, 65-year-old Nelson Murray, was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest with a vehicle and engaging in organized retail theft.
Vehicle passenger 62-year-old Willie McNealy, along with 63-year-old Erwin Roland, who was detained at the Target store, were both each charged with engaging in organized retail theft.
Police said a witness provided a description of the suspects' vehicle, prompting officers to deploy the department's Drone as First Responder program. The police drone located the vehicle and helped officers obtain a license plate number. The number led them to a gray Toyota Camry that had been reported stolen earlier that day in Richardson.
When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled, leading police on a pursuit, investigators said.
According to authorities, it was later determined that two suspects were inside the vehicle while a third remained inside the Target store.
Police pursuit ends in I-20 crash
Local perspective:
The chase ended in Dallas when the Camry crashed into a white Chevrolet Suburban stopped on the shoulder of I-20. The occupants of the vehicle had been involved in an unrelated traffic accident and were outside the vehicle exchanging information when the collision occurred, Mansfield police said.
Suspects detained and stolen merchandise recovered
All three suspects were arrested and taken to the Mansfield Jail without incident, according to police. Investigators said officers recovered $383.91 worth of stolen merchandise from Roland and an additional $1,192.63 in suspected stolen merchandise from the vehicle.
What's next:
No injuries were reported in the crash or during the pursuit as the investigation remains ongoing.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Mansfield Police Department.