Theft Suspect Flees From Gardena Jail
A man arrested for allegedly renting stolen motor homes to customers escaped from the Gardena jail Wednesday shortly after being booked on suspicion of grand theft, authorities said.
Paul R. Larson was being held on $5,000 bail when he escaped about 2:35 p.m. Officers chased him from the police station until they lost him near 166th Street and St. Andrews Place. The neighborhood was cordoned off and a police helicopter was called in to help officers search for Larson.
Gardena detectives had taken Larson into custody in Canoga Park on Wednesday after receiving information that he would be there to drop off a 36-foot rental motor home. He had required his customers to put down hundreds of dollars in deposits to rent the vehicles, police said.
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