Four Bakersfield men were arrested after police said they robbed two kids at Valley Plaza mall and led officers on a pursuit that ended in Lebec.
It started at 6:28 p.m. Friday when Bakersfield police officers went to the 2700 block of Ming Avenue and learned two boys were walking outside the mall and were approached by men wearing ski masks who took jewelry from them after brandishing a gun, according to a BPD news release.
Officers found the suspects’ vehicle about 20 minutes later in the 4900 block of Stine Road and attempted to stop it. But the driver didn’t pull over and led police on a chase through east Bakersfield, the news release added.
The suspects drove onto Highway 99 and then Interstate 5, where the California Highway Patrol took over, BPD wrote. The car was eventually abandoned near Sloan Canyon Road at Nares Drive in Lebec, police added.
The items reportedly stolen from the boys were found after the suspects dropped them on the road from the vehicle, according to the news release.
Manjot Rangi, 20, Jay’Vontae Thompson, 18, Deqwon Thomas, 20, and Damien Diaz, 25, were arrested on suspicion of gang participation, robbery, willful cruelty to a child, resisting arrest and weapons violations, BPD wrote.