MILPITAS (BCN) — A traffic enforcement stop led officers in Milpitas to the discovery of alleged stolen luggage last week, according to police.
Police said officers pulled over a silver 2013 Mazda SUV at 9:46 a.m. Wednesday for a stop sign violation on South Park Victoria Drive and Canton Drive.
While a sergeant spoke with the vehicle’s two occupants, Cesar Lopez, 36, and Steven Barrera, 24, a woman called police to report someone had allegedly stolen her luggage while she was loading it into her vehicle on Lassen Avenue.
Police said the sergeant noticed similar luggage in the SUV.
As officers attempted to verify whether the luggage in the vehicle was the same as the stolen one, Lopez ran from the vehicle and officers chased him to Fiesta Plaza, where he was taken into custody, according to police.
Police said a subsequent investigation of the vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia and a small quantity of suspected methamphetamine.
Barrera and Lopez were arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property, petty theft, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police said Lopez was additionally suspected of resisting arrest, providing false identification information and for several arrest warrants, while Barrera was suspected of driving with a suspended license.