Bay Area Police Chase Ends With Officers Seizing Stolen Car, 'Ghost Gun': Police

SAN MATEO, CA — A 19-year-old man and two teen boys were arrested on suspicion of stealing a car Saturday in San Mateo after they fled on foot from officers and were found carrying an unserialized gun, police said.

At 11:02 p.m. on Saturday, San Mateo Police Department officers responded to a report of a stolen car in the area of 31st Avenue and E. Sailer Drive, police said.

Police said they found the car on S. El Camino Real near W. 25th Avenue. Officers said they pulled over the car and the driver and two occupants fled on foot while two teen girls remained in the car.

Police said they caught the three who fled and identified the driver as Silas Willis, 19, of San Jose and the two occupants as 16-year-old boys, one from East Palo Alto and the other from Stockton.

Officers said when they searched the car they found an unloaded "ghost gun" and a loaded extended magazine, containing 23 rounds under the driver's seat.

Officers arrested Willis and booked him into the San Mateo County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm, not having the DOJ requirement for a serial number for a firearm, being a previous ward of the court and possessing a firearm, possession of a firearm with altered or obliterated serial number, and an active warrant.

The two teen boys were arrested and booked into the Hillcrest Juvenile Facility for possession of a stolen vehicle, being a minor in possession of a firearm, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Police released the two teen girls.

This was the second stolen car pursuit and arrest in around 10 hours for the SMPD that involved a firearm and where suspects were minors.

"At this time, we don’t have any information to say the two cases are related, but we encourage parents to be aware of what their teens are doing and who they are associating with," police said.