4 arrested after attempted robbery at Nordstrom Rack leads to chase

One man and three women were arrested Tuesday evening after a commercial robbery at Nordstrom Rack at Metro Pointe led to a short police pursuit.

Costa Mesa police received reports of a robbery at the store at 901 South Coast Drive at about 6:51 p.m.

Employees were trying to stop the suspects, identified as two women and one man, when the man brandished a knife and attempted to cut a loss prevention agent, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Bang Le.

The trio fled in a black SUV, but the loss prevention agent was able to get a partial license plate number.

An officer spotted the SUV getting on the northbound 73 Freeway and pursued the SUV to Harbor Boulevard, where they reached traffic gridlock.

The female driver put the car into park and the man fled. Officers caught and arrested the man, later identified as David Alfaro, 23, of Long Beach.

The two women were found in the car and arrested. They were identified as Sarai Rodarte, 19, and Marivel Cuevas, 33, both of Long Beach.

A third woman, Raquel Perez, 32, of Long Beach, and three children also were found in the car. The children eventually were released to their mother. Perez was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime but later was released, Le said.

Alfaro was arrested on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. Rodarte and Cuevas were arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime and on misdemeanor warrants.