A suspected auto thief was arrested after a brief chase in Ventura early Thursday morning.
John Yungandreas, 38, of Ventura was taken into custody in connection with the theft of a vehicle.
An officer responding shortly after 1 a.m. to a report of the theft spotted Yungandreas driving the vehicle and when he tried to stop the car, the suspect left the vehicle and ran into a residential area. Police surrounded the area and arrested Yungandreas after a short foot chase.
He had property from the stolen vehicle and a dagger in his waistband when he was caught.
Yungandreas was booked into Ventura County jail on suspicion of auto theft, possession of a deadly weapon, possession of stolen property and theft by use of an access card.
The suspect had used one of the victim's credit cards at a local drive-through restaurant in the few minutes between the auto theft and the pursuit.
Theft of certain types of property, such as an automobile, will result in automatic grand theft charges regardless of the specific value of the property. A standard grand theft conviction may result in up to 16 months or 2-3 years in state prison. Enhanced penalties may apply depending on the value of property and the defendant's criminal record.
Immediately contact a Los Angeles grand theft defense lawyer if you or someone you know has been arrested for this or any related theft crime.
Ventura County Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has been helping clients since 1984, and understands exactly how serious grand theft charges can be.
Contact his law office for aggressive and tough representation for your case.