Santa Monica police located a felony vehicle wanted in connection with an armed robbery in Whittier and arrested its driver the evening of June 22, the department said.
Officers used resources from the department's Santa Monica Analytical Real-Time Center, or SMART Center, to locate the vehicle. Within minutes, K9 Norton and his handler found it near Pico Boulevard and Main Street and followed it safely as additional officers responded.
The vehicle stopped in the area of Ocean Park Boulevard and Main Street, where officers conducted a high-risk stop based on information that the suspects may have been armed.
The driver, identified by police as George Jeremiah Romero, was taken into custody without incident. Officers also observed what appeared to be a firearm magazine inside the vehicle, the department said.
The Whittier Police Department responded to the scene and took custody of Romero and the vehicle as part of its ongoing investigation.
The department credited the coordination between agencies and the officers and K9 Norton who worked to resolve the incident safely.
Edited by SMDP Staff