Barstow police searching for suspect who carjacked U-haul with a woman still inside

BARSTOW, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The Barstow Police Department is searching for a suspect who carjacked a rental truck with a woman still inside of it.

It happened in the Vons shopping center at 1270 Main Street in Barstow.

At about 9:07 pm, officers were dispatched to the location reference a carjacking. Officers arrived and made contact with one of the victims who stated his U-Haul rental truck was stolen with his girlfriend still inside the cargo area, officials said.

According to a Barstow Police news release, the boyfriend and his girlfriend were arranging flowers in the back cargo area when an unknown person drove away in the truck.

As the truck drove away at a high rate of speed, the boyfriend fell out of the cargo area but his girlfriend was unable to get out and the suspect drove the rental truck away with her inside.

A short time later the female victim was located near Old Highway 58 where she flagged down a passing motorist to call the police.

Officers responded to the location and located the victim and the U-Haul in the desert area near the Skyline Drive-In on the 31000 block of Old Highway 58.

According to police, the victim stated the U-Haul truck got stuck in the desert and the suspect opened the back of the cargo area where she was. The suspect told her he was recently released from prison and asked for her help to do a robbery.

The victim stated she agreed to help the suspect in a ruse to get the keys from him and she managed to talk the suspect into giving her the keys to the U-Haul at which time she locked herself back inside the truck, officials said.

The suspect then fled the area on foot. A search of the area was conducted by Barstow Police officers and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies from the Barstow Station. Sheriffs helicopter 40 King also assisted with the search but were unable to locate the suspect.

The suspect was described as a Black male adult, approximately 40 years old, 5’10’’, skinny, dark short hair, with dark moles and wrinkles around his eyes, wearing a dark short sleeve t-shirt and dark fitted jeans.

Anyone having information regarding this investigation is asked to call Officer J. Sanchez at (760)256-2211 or the Barstow Police Department at (760)256–2211. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may also call the WE-TIP hotline.

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