Vallejo police arrest carjacking suspect
A convicted felon was arrested on Friday for carjacking and other charges after luring a victim to meet in public under the pretenses of selling a watch.
Vallejo police said they arrested Oscar Molina, 26, of Vallejo, at about 11:35 a.m. after he allegedly lured the victim to the 600 block of Broadway by advertising a “watch” for sale on the app “Offerup.”
The victim and the suspect communicated via text, where they eventually agreed to meet at a parking lot. The victim drove his pickup truck to the location in Vallejo and waited for Molina.
Once inside the victim’s truck, Molina, armed with a semi-auto pistol, pointed it at the victim and stated, “Give me the money!,” police added. The victim, fearing for his life, surrendered his keys to suspect Molina and called 911. Molina then drove off with the victim’s truck, which had a trailer attached.
Uniformed patrol officers responded to the scene and the surrounding area. Officers located Molina in the 1800 block of Santa Clara St. Upon seeing the police officers, Molina fled on foot.
The police officers chased Molina after he jumped the fence of a nearby resident. Officers deployed a Taser to capture Molina, who was actively resisting their attempts at taking him into custody.
Officers recovered the victim’s stolen vehicle and located a loaded .45 semiauto pistol still inside the truck. A search of Molina also revealed approximately 10 grams of heroin.
Molina was booked into Solano County Jail for carjacking, probation violation, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
“During these challenging times, we will not tolerate violent criminals who prey on our citizens. We want our community to know that our priority continues to be responding to emergency calls for service and crimes in progress,” Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said in a statement released by the department. “I am proud of our first responders for their selfless service in this instance and many others just like it that occur daily, along with their continued commitment and courage as they respond to this pandemic.”
Further, the Vallejo Police Department would also like to remind the public not to fall victim to fraud and scams during these unsettled times.
“OfferUp” scams are common in all jurisdictions.The department encourage residents to meet in front of the police department when encountering an unknown person on apps such as “OfferUp.”
The Police Department is also asking the public to comply with the Solano County Health order to shelter at home during this crisis. Violation or failure to comply with this Order of the Solano County Health Department is a misdemeanor.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Jason Thompson of the Vallejo Police Department’s Crime Reduction Team at (707) 399-4610.