In a dramatic sequence captured on body cam footage, a 35-year-old woman from San Marcos was arrested after allegedly shoplifting $850 worth of products from beauty and clothing stores at the Irvine Spectrum shopping center. The suspect, Emely Yanagida, was discovered hiding in the trunk of a Tesla in a failed attempt to evade police.
The incident unfolds
The incident occurred last Wednesday afternoon when Yanagida reportedly stole $600 worth of make-up products and $250 in workout clothing from Lululemon. The Irvine Police Department stated that employees at Sephora alerted the authorities around 3:00 PM, reporting a woman shoplifting and fleeing the store.
The chase and capture
Loss prevention officers quickly responded but initially lost sight of Yanagida in the shopping center’s parking lot. However, the situation took a turn when an unnamed citizen informed police that they had seen the alleged shoplifter entering a white Tesla and crawling into its trunk.
Body cam footage released on Saturday shows officers knocking on the trunk multiple times before opening it to find Yanagida concealed under a green tarp. One officer is heard asking, “Why are you hiding in the trunk?”, to which Yanagida responded that she was “scared” because the police “came after” her.
Evidence and arrest
Upon further questioning, Yanagida claimed she was frightened because she was being accused of “taking something.” Despite her claims, officers discovered the stolen items inside her car. The footage captures Yanagida desperately insisting that she had entered the store with the Lululemon products, even as police retrieved the stolen items from her purse.
Yanagida was subsequently charged with possessing burglary tools, resisting arrest, and shoplifting. The Irvine Police Department confirmed that the body cam footage provided crucial evidence in the case.
Yanagida’s arrest serves as a reminder of the vigilance required to maintain public safety and the consequences of attempting to evade the law.