A shoplifting suspect tried to make off with two cases of motor oil from Costco on Thursday afternoon. The incident began shortly after 4 p.m. when the man entered the store at 1051 W. Burbank Blvd. He was observed by store security agents placing 24 quarts of oil in his pants and jacket, before leaving the store without paying.
The man was stopped by loss prevention officers outside the store, but he gave them the slip and ran through the parking lot. As bottles of oil fell from his clothing, the suspect climbed over the fence on the west side of the parking lot, and into the backyards of adjoining homes.
Like a well-oiled machine, Burbank Police units descended on the area and quickly located a man matching the suspect’s description near the corner of Beachwood Dr. and Monterey Ave. The loss prevention officers positively identified him as the man who took the oil from the store. The suspect, Jorge Sanchez, 35, of Southgate, was arrested for burglary. When he was being searched for weapons, officers discovered that the suspect had several bungee cords wrapped around his legs and waist to hold the bottles of oil in place.
