A woman accused of shoplifting at Irvine mall is arrested after hiding in Tesla trunk
By: A San Marcos woman was arrested after police said she stole $850 worth of merchandise from Sephora and Lululemon stores at an Irvine shopping mall and tried to hide from officers in the trunk of a Tesla.
The incident took place on the afternoon of Aug. 14 at the Irvine Spectrum Center, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Police said the woman -- later identified as 35-year-old Emely Yanagida, of San Marcos -- was seen shoplifting from a Sephora store at the mall.
“When loss prevention tried to stop her, she refused to stop,” police stated on a post on the department’s Facebook page.
A witness told police they saw the woman get into a white Tesla and crawl into the car’s trunk.
“Officers opened the trunk after multiple knocks and announcements and found the suspect hiding,” police said.
Officers discovered $600 worth of goods stolen from Sephora and $250 worth of goods stolen from Lululemon in the car.
According to police, Yanagida was arrested on suspicion of possessing burglary tools, resisting arrest, and shoplifting.