Officers initially responded to a report of a grand theft at the Brea Mall's Macy's store around noon and spotted the suspects running away, Brea police Lt. Chris Harvey said in a video posted on social media.
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The alleged thieves jumped in a car, sparking a high-speed chase.
Due to safety concerns, officers stopped the pursuit but witnesses alerted police to the suspects' location.
"As our officers arrived in that area they located the three suspects getting into a rideshare, either Uber or Lyft, and our officers were able to detain those suspects at that location," Harvey said.
Nearby Laurel Elementary School was placed on lockdown as a precaution, Harvey added.
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A fourth person who was arrested at the mall's parking lot after a report of a suspicious person was linked to the robbery, Harvey said.
The rideshare driver was not involved in the theft.