Police Chase Suspected Car Thief from Redwood City

Menlo Park police are in pursuit of a man who abandoned a car in the Willows neighborhood around 11:30 a.m., according to eyewitnesses at the scene.

Police began chasing the Hispanic male who they suspected of stealing a Honda in Redwood City and continued to chase him until he jumped out of the car and left it in the Willows near the park at Gilbert and Willow, said Freddy Sandoval.  Sandoval was on his way to fix the plumbing at Footsteps Preschool in Menlo Park.

“When I got here there were a bunch of police with their guns drawn out,” Sandoval said.  “Then two sheriff cars drove over the grass on the park, and then motorcycle cops did too, and then there were at least 10 to 12 officers running around looking for the guy,” Sandoval said.

Willow Oaks Park was shut down until 12:52 p.m. while officers scoured the area for the suspect, who remains at large.  Police blocked off Gilbert Road for at least an hour while they searched for the suspect.

The preschool in the park next to the school was also shut down, so no children could go in or out of the school.

 Abbie Munroe, owner of Footsteps preschool, said when she saw a plainclothes officer pull out a gun in the park, she moved all the children inside immediately.

“In the 17 years that I’ve been here, nothing like this has happened before,” Munroe said.

“The scary part was that I didn’t know whether the plainclothes officer was the person the police were after,” Munroe said.  She was later reassured that he was not the man and an officer was placed in front of the building to guard the school.

Police officer C. Powell said they were sure the man was not in Willow Oaks park, after they checked the area with canines. The suspect has not been caught yet.

Update at 2:41 p.m.:

The vehicle in question held three Hispanic Male Juveniles, according to Nicole Acker, Menlo Park police public information officer.

"The pursuit went on El Camino Real to 5^th Avenue to 101 and Willow Rd, where it ultimately crashed in the 200 block of Marmona Drive in Menlo Park," she said, noting that she got her information from Menlo Park Police Sargeant Matt Ortega.

Two of the men have been detained and turned over to the San Mateo Police.  One is still at large.

San Mateo Police towed the vehicle and will be in charge of the case.