Police Chase Stolen Fire Department SUV Across Los Angeles

SAN PEDRO, CA — A man suspected of stealing a Los Angeles Fire Department battalion chief's SUV led police on a chase from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Pedro where he was taken into custody Friday afternoon.

That's when officers deployed a spike strip to deflate the vehicle's tires, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Hector Guzman. The suspect pulled over in a parking lot in the area of North Pacific Avenue and West Santa Cruz Street and surrendered to police at about 2:45 p.m. He was in the process of being booked Friday afternoon on suspicion of vehicle theft and evading arrest, added Guzman.

"Because the one ton pickup truck, like all LAFD fleet vehicles was equipped with a GPS transponder, it was instantly tracked in real-time, allowing law enforcement agencies to initiate a strategic following," the LAFD said.

The chase had begun shortly after 2 p.m. in the area of Seventh Street and Flower Street, said Officer Rosario Cervantes of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Division.

The motive for the theft was not immediately clear.

SEE ALSO: Only In California: Car Chases Even Hollywood Couldn't Dream Up

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.