4 Suspects Arrested in ‘Flat-Tire’ Thefts

Four Los Angeles men have been arrested in connection with the “flat-tire” thefts that have plagued Glendale over the past year, authorities said.

In each of the 19 thefts, a tire on the victim’s car had been punctured while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light. While one thief would distract the driver by offering to change the tire, another would reach into the car and grab the victim’s purse or wallet, authorities said.

The suspects--Felipe Diaz, 52, Arturo Castro, 23, Orlando Jarquin, 32, and Jose Escandon, 38--were arrested in Riverside after investigators watched them carry out one such ruse and theft on Friday, Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young said.

The men chose their victims by observing people withdrawing large amounts of cash inside banks, he said.

A search warrant issued for the residence of one suspect yielded numerous wallets and purses, Young said.

The men are being held in the Glendale Police Department jail on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grand theft, he said. Bail was set at $500,000 each.