Campus burglary suspect arrested

A burglary suspect who led police on a campuswide chase Tuesday afternoon from the UCLA Store to Perloff Hall has been arrested and is being held on $20,000 bail.

Loss prevention officers initially followed the suspect, described as a man in his 20s, from the UCLA Store to the Student Activities Center, where they confronted him for stealing a pair of basketball shorts, which he proceeded to place in a backpack that university police later identified as one stolen from De Neve dining hall on Monday.

The man then screamed, and according to police, attempted to bite one of the officers. He fought off other loss prevention officers and went out the side of the building, said Chet Cohen, head of Ackerman loss prevention.

Police ran after the man on foot. He evaded them at least twice as he made his way to the Public Affairs Building.

At that point, police set up a perimeter around the building, which the man escaped by bolting through a side door.

He was finally apprehended in an empty office at Perloff Hall, said UCPD Lt. Maureen O’Connell.

Before being driven off in a police vehicle, the man was warned with a Taser gun when he requested that his handcuffs be loosened.

“If someone has resisted citizens and police, we’re not going to just loosen his handcuffs (without taking precautions),” O’Connell said. “So yes, an officer warned him that if (he runs) this time he will be tased.”

Officials said they do not believe the man is a student or is affiliated with UCLA, although they have yet to confirm his identity. The man did not have any identification on him when he was apprehended. Officials said he was around 24 years old.

There were no reports of injuries, although one officer fell during the pursuit and damaged his uniform.