San Diego

Two California Highway Patrol officers making a traffic stop Thursday in Mission Viejo arrested a pair of Los Angeles men in connection with a La Jolla jewelry store burglary, authorities said.

Lawrence Darrington, 24, and Kevin Smith, 24, were taken into custody and booked on suspicion of burglary at about 4:30 a.m., a half-hour after they were stopped for speeding on Interstate 405, CHP officer Patti Gentile said.

The two were later turned over to the San Diego Police Department, which is investigating the early-morning Thursday looting of Bailey, Banks & Biddle Jewelers, where about $50,000 worth of jewelry was stolen, Gentile said.

The officers made a speed stop, “and one thing led to another,” Gentile said.

CHP officers Steve Young and Mike Clare spotted the car traveling north about 80 m.p.h. at the Pacific Coast Highway exit, Gentile said. They pulled the car over at the Avery Parkway off-ramp. An officer approaching the car noticed two pillowcases full of jewelry sitting on the back seat, Gentile said.

In addition to the burglary accusation, Darrington, the driver, was cited for speeding and not wearing a seat belt, Gentile said. Smith was also ticketed for not wearing a seat belt.