Pair arrested on suspicion of grand theft, auto, resisting arrest in Burbank

Two Burbank men were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of grand theft auto before the alleged victim knew his Honda Accord had been stolen, police said Friday.

Police stopped the pair – Alexander Radey, 20, and Marcelo Mena, 19 – at Cypress Avenue and Fifth Street at around 9:15 p.m. after they were reportedly driving erratically, said Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn.

When the men pulled the car over, they jumped out of the car and fled on foot while the Accord rolled back and hit the patrol car, Ryburn said.

After a brief foot pursuit, the men were both arrested and booked on suspicion of residential burglary, grand theft auto and resisting arrest.

When police ran the license plate, it had not been reported stolen. But when police contacted the victim – who reportedly had been in his apartment that evening – he was unaware that his car was missing.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.