Car-theft suspects elude police after chase through Orange County

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- Police chased a stolen SUV through surface streets and freeways throughout Orange County Thursday afternoon before the suspects ditched the vehicle and hid in a large medical complex.

The chase started around 4 p.m. after a Santa Ana police officer noticed a vehicle driving erratically. He ran the plate and found 2015 Toyota RAV 4 had been stolen in Orange.

Officers chased the SUV through Santa Ana, Irvine, Tustin and Laguna Woods over surface streets and on the 55 Freeway.

At times the vehicle was driving recklessly enough and at speeds up to 90 mph that officers on the ground pulled back while a helicopter continued to follow them, in an attempt to get the suspects to slow down.

Two people - described as a man with a shaved head in jeans and a white shirt and a woman with long dark hair in her 20s - were believed to be inside the vehicle.

The SUV pulled off the 55 Freeway and into the parking structure of Saddleback Memorial in Laguna Hills. The two suspects were believed to be hiding somewhere in the medical complex. Police formed a perimeter and were searching the area.

Police say they found what appeared to be additional stolen property inside the vehicle. They also found discarded clothes believed to belong to the suspects.

By evening, police had released the perimeter and scaled back the search without finding the suspects, but continued investigating.