South Gate Police Arrest Suspect in Walmart Parking Lot Gold Chain Robbery

A robbery suspect was arrested after South Gate police and a K-9 unit tracked him to a nearby building where he had hidden beneath a blanket, following a chase that began in a Walmart parking lot after he snatched a gold chain from a victim's neck.

South Gate Police Department officers responded at approximately 7:53 p.m. on March 11 to the Walmart parking lot after a victim reported that a suspect had simulated having a firearm and forcibly snatched a gold chain from his neck. The suspect fled immediately after the theft, prompting witnesses on the scene to give chase.

The pursuit ended when the suspect climbed over a fence and slipped into a large nearby building through an open bay door. Officers established a perimeter around the structure and called in a K-9 unit to assist with the search. During what police described as an extensive sweep of the building, officers located the suspect hiding underneath a blanket inside one of the rooms. Police body camera footage captured officers and the K-9 conducting the search inside the building.

The story did not end at the arrest. During booking procedures, officers found the victim's gold chain concealed inside the suspect's sock. The chain was subsequently returned to its owner.

The suspect was charged with robbery and burglary. No actual firearm was reported recovered; police noted only that the suspect had simulated having one during the theft. No injuries were reported.