Modesto pursuit leads to recovery of stolen SUV

Modesto police officers spotted a stolen sport utility vehicle in the area of Vintage Faire Mall on Wednesday morning and, after a brief pursuit, took a suspect into custody in the parking lot of the Big 5 Sporting Goods store on Dale Road shortly before 10 a.m.

The pursuit went through parking areas of the mall, which had not opened, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Heather Graves. It was not a high-speed chase. “He was going regular speeds,” she said. “He ran a stop sign, and that was about it in the way of vehicle infractions.”

The 24-year-old driver, whose name was not available, was compliant with officers, Graves said. The SUV recovered had been reported stolen May 10 in Modesto. From it, police also recovered a handgun that was in the vehicle when it was stolen.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Modesto pursuit leads to recovery of stolen SUV."