A suspected repeat thief apparently picked the wrong police officer to challenge to a foot race after a theft at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Southern California.
Video shared by the Brea Police Department shows what happened when the suspect ran from an officer responding to the retail theft.
Police described the person as a repeat theft suspect and suggested the chase quickly became a mismatch. The department said the officer involved runs three miles every morning before reporting for work.
The suspect, meanwhile, apparently did not have the same conditioning. After a sprint away from police, the chase ended with him exhausted and in custody.
Time To Run
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The footage begins around the Dick’s Sporting Goods location as the suspect takes off running, forcing the officer to pursue him on foot.
Rather than giving a dry play-by-play, Brea Police leaned into the difference in conditioning when it posted the video.
“This repeat theft suspect at Dick’s Sporting Goods decided to test his cardio against ours,” the department wrote, adding that the officer logs three miles each morning before work.
The advantage became apparent as the pursuit continued. Police said the suspect eventually ran out of steam and ended up in handcuffs.
Retail Focus
The department did not identify the suspect in the reel or provide the value of the merchandise involved. It also did not specify what charges were filed following the arrest.
Brea Police has a dedicated Crime Suppression Unit that works with loss-prevention personnel at the city’s retail shopping centers. According to the department’s description of the unit, that cooperation is intended to increase the chances of catching crimes while they are still happening.
Brea is home to several major shopping areas, including Brea Mall, where Dick’s Sporting Goods operates a location.
The arrest shown in the video is not a finding of guilt, and the department’s social media post did not provide information about the suspect’s subsequent court case or disposition.