SHELBY — The five juveniles ran, but they could not hide.
All five were arrested for burglary, and may face other charges, after police pursued the suspects in a black Audi SUV through Richland County and into Ashland County at speeds that raced past 100 miles per hour.
Shelby police responded to a call about a home burglary on Broadway Street on Wednesday at 4:21 p.m., Chief Lance Combs said.
“It was reported that three males wearing masks had entered a residence through a window and returned to a vehicle a short time later carrying multiple items,” Combs said in a written press release Thursday morning.
(Below is a press release about the burglary from the Shelby Police Department.)
The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol all joined the pursuit, which began after officer Cody Baker tried to pull the vehicle over near the intersection of Plymouth-Springmill Road and Ohio 96.
“The vehicle initially stopped, but while in the process of ordering occupants out of the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed and Officer Baker initiated a pursuit,” according to Combs’ statement.
Combs said his department notified other law enforcement agencies a pursuit had begun.
The chase involved additional minor traffic accidents and a firearm was thrown from the vehicle, but later recovered, according to Combs.
“Pursuit termination techniques were used which ultimately led to the vehicle leaving the roadway,” the release stated. “Upon stopping, multiple occupants fled from the vehicle, but all suspects were apprehended.”
The chase ended at the 300 block of Sandusky Street in Ashland, according to Ashland police chief David Lay.
Combs couldn’t provide exact ages for the five juveniles arrested, but said they were older teens.
“They weren’t five, but they weren’t adults,” Combs said.
All five were charged with aggravated burglary and were taken to the Richland County Juvenile Detention Center. Combs confirmed all five were in detention as of Thursday morning.
Combs said police are still seeking a motive for the burglary.
He said all five suspects are awaiting court appearances. The vehicle was seized and towed by the Ashland Police Department “pending a search warrant to recover items from the burglary.”