High Speed Jewelry Heist, Attempt to Conceal Car

SANTA MARIA – A Lompoc man is in custody after he allegedly robbed a jewelry store downtown early Friday morning and then led police on a high-speed pursuit through the city.

During a routine patrol of the 700 block of East Main Street just after 3:00 a.m. a police officer heard an audible alarm coming from a nearby business, Norris’ Jewelry, which had its front glass door shattered.

As the officer was investigating the smashed door, he saw a green-colored compact sedan leave the jewelry store’s parking lot at a high rate of speed. Believing the business has just been burglarized and suspecting the fleeing vehicle was associated with the alleged crime, the officer drove after the car in an attempt to catch up to it, police said.

Norris Jewelry

During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle, driven by Lompoc resident Paul Hahn, made several evasive maneuvers on nearby surface streets in an attempt to lose the officer. Additional officers joined the pursuit and located Hahn parked alongside the curb, attempting to blend in and appear a normal parked car in the 400 block of South East Street, police said.

Hahn was the only person in the vehicle when officers approached it, and a large glass display case containing numerous pieces of gold jewelry was allegedly sitting on the passenger seat next to him. He was arrested at the scene for possession of stolen property and commercial burglary.

Hahn, 29, was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.
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