MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- Two military policemen and a Criminal Investigation Division agent arrested two suspects for grand theft auto at the Tees & Trees Golf Course here recently.
Lance Cpl. Michael Ojeda, military policeman for the Provost Marshals Office, was doing a routine perimeter security check at the water treatment facility on Golf Course Road when he came across a suspicious scene.
"I was doing a perimeter patrol and found an abandoned vehicle," said Ojeda. "I saw the vehicle had been stripped of its battery, and it just didn't look right."
Sgt. John Williamson, watch commander for the Provost Marshals Office, was called out to the scene, as well as Agent Cory Eads, criminal investigator for CID.
"A truck had driven through the gate and busted the lock off," said Eads. "The hood was up and some of the parts had been stripped and some of the panels on the inside had been ripped off."
Upon further inspection, the MPs found out more about the vehicle.
"We ran the VIN numbers and the vehicle came back reported stolen," said Ojeda.
Following the proper procedures, the MPs were hit with another situation.
"I was about to process the scene when Williamson was headed back to base, where he spotted another vehicle," said Eads.
The vehicle then tried to get away.
"As soon as the [suspects] saw Williamson's patrol car, they turned their lights off and tried to take off without Williamson seeing them," said Eads. "He called in a suspicious vehicle trying to get away from him, and Ojeda and I jumped in a vehicle and went in pursuit."
Not knowing exactly where the suspects were, Ojeda and Eads flew down Golf Course Road. Going toward where the call came from, they ran up on the suspects.
"He was in the roadway in front of us and saw us coming, so he turned on his lights," said Eads. "The guy tried to turn around, so Ojeda pulled in front of him and blocked him from getting away."
Having his escape route blocked, the driver tried to make it on his feet.
"Ojeda and I got out, and then the driver slung his door open and started getting out, so Ojeda and I drew down on him," said Eads.
Stopping the suspect at gunpoint, the MPs made their move to secure the scene.
"The passenger was just sitting there, acting totally out of it, not acknowledging anything I said, and playing with something in his hands," said Eads. "I went around and threw his door open myself and got him out of the car."
After both suspects had been extracted from the vehicle, help arrived.
"As soon as we got them out of the vehicle, Williamson showed up and assisted us with separating them and searching them," said Eads.
Once the suspects were under control, the situation became more intriguing.
"While I was asking them questions, Ojeda and Williamson did a plain view search of the vehicle and saw panels ripped off and the truck was running without any keys in the ignition," said Eads. "As soon as I found that out, we handcuffed them and called CHP."
Once CHP showed up, the MPs finally found out what they had uncovered.
"The first truck was reported stolen the morning prior out of Barstow, and the truck they were in was later reported stolen out of Hinkley," said Eads.
Maj. Lawrence Casserly, base provost marshal, was impressed by the correct and swift action his MPs took.
"They did everything by the numbers," said Casserly. "It was as good as you could expect Marines to do, so I am very proud of them."
Considering the responsibility given to these Marines at such a young age, Casserly was pleased with the professionalism in which they handled the situation.
"Those Marines are under the age of 25," said Casserly. "You look at the average age of a civilian police officer, it's at least 30 to 35, so even though they don't have a high level of experience, they handled the situation like veterans."