The UCLA Police Department arrested a person Thursday suspected of scooter theft and sexual battery against a minor.

According to a statement posted on the social media platform X, UCPD said it recovered two scooters and brass knuckles after the arrest around 2:45 a.m., but it is still investigating whether the suspect is linked to three other scooter thefts. Officers were also unsure if the brass knuckles were used as part of a crime, said Acting Operation Bureau Captain Jeffrey Chobanian in an emailed statement.

After fleeing the scene, the suspect was arrested by UCPD at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Manning Avenue – over a mile away from the campus perimeter, Chobanian said in the statement.

The suspect is a 29-year-old man and has black hair and brown eyes, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records. He had previously been released with a citation after being arrested in February 2023. 

The suspect was assigned to an LAPD facility at 5:12 a.m., and bail has been set at $25,000, according to LASD records.

Chobanian said in the statement that authorities noticed the suspect had an outstanding warrant for sexual battery against a minor after they arrested him for the scooter theft. The sexual battery warrant did not originate from UCLA or UCLA-related cases, Chobanian added.

Chobanian also said in the statement that scooter owners should secure their vehicles using U-locks across frames and wheels.

“Park in busy, well-lit areas, and bring your scooter indoors if possible,” he said in the statement. “Register your scooter and add an owner-applied number to help identify it if stolen.”