Man accused of Burbank carjacking is arrested after parking car between two patrol cars

A 23-year-old man was arrested on New Year’s Day by Bell Gardens police after allegedly carjacking a car from a Burbank woman and later parking it between two police cars, officials said.

At about 9 a.m. Sunday, a man approached a 52-year-old Burbank woman at a car wash in the 500 block of North Victory Boulevard and demanded the keys to her 2012 blue Dodge Neon, Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.

The suspect simulated a weapon of some sort in his jacket pocket, Ryburn said.

“She grabbed her purse, he took the car key and she called police,” Ryburn said. “He takes off, we do an area check and can’t find him.”

At about 4 p.m., officials got a call from Bell Gardens police who said they located the suspect — Jorge Martinez, 23, of Atwater in Central California — after he allegedly parked the stolen car between two double-parked patrol cars.

Two Bell Gardens police officers had parked their cars to respond to an unrelated call, Ryburn said.

“One officer comes back to the car, and this guy had parked the stolen car between the patrol cars,” Ryburn said. “It turns out that the in-dash camera captured it all on video.”

Martinez was reported missing Dec. 30, so police also contacted the man’s sister, who was very concerned about his safety, Ryburn said.

It was not clear why Martinez was in Burbank or Bell Gardens, but he was arrested that afternoon on suspicion of carjacking. Police also suspect he was under the influence of narcotics.

-- Maria Hsin, Times Community News

Twitter: @mariahsin