La Mirada man arrested after leading police on high speed pursuit

A 27 year-old La Mirada man lead authorities on a high speed pursuit early Thursday evening ended peacefully after his car in a South Gate parking garage and attempting to allude police inside a movie theater filled with patrons.

Arcadia police allege Christopher Cook stole a package left by detectives at a home containing a hidden GPS tracking device combating package thefts. When the package is removed inside the tracker begins transmitting

updated locations of the stolen bait package on a computer driven map to police dispatchers and officers in the field.

Christopher Cook  Booking photo 5/11/17
Courtesy Arcadia PD

After abandoning his car in a parking structure at the El Paseo shopping center at Garfield Avenue and Firestone Blvd he ran a short distance into the Edwards Stadium Theatre.  Cook was taken into custody as moviegoers fled the chaos according to a KCBS-TV report.

The.began  after Cook was located in Hacienda Heights by officers tracking the theft shortly before 7 P.M.

The pursuit traveled on surface streets of several communities near the 710 Freeway including Monterey Park and Bell Gardens and on freeways including the 60-Pomona Freeway. NBC4 News copter footage showed Cook driving in the wrong direction in heavy rush hour traffic at one point. No injuries were reported.

Arcadia police have been successfully conducting an ongoing undercover operation that is attempting to combat the growing epidemic of crimes involving thieves that are following parcel delivery trucks dropping off online merchandise purchases at mostly homes.

KNBC pursuit coverage including copter footage


.KCBS TV report

Compiled by LM Community News with links to NBC4 and KCBS coverage