Five men suspected of a “mob theft” in Woodland were arrested after a high-speed pursuit Tuesday night.
Woodland police officers responded to a report of a theft in progress at a Verizon store, 1999 Pacific Ave., about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
An employee told police that five or six men had entered the business and grabbed multiple electronic devices including phones and tablets, valued at $2,900, the Woodland Police Department reported.
The suspects fled in a black Ford Expedition with no license plate, police said.
A Woodland police officer arrived in the area and saw the suspect vehicle heading south in the 1700 block of Pacific Avenue at a high rate of speed, passing vehicles in a no-pass zone, police said. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the SUV continued driving into the oncoming lane of traffic, forcing some vehicles off the road.
The pursuit continued onto Interstate 5 and reached speeds of up to 115 mph, according to police.
The vehicle only came to a stop when a tractor-trailer blocked the lane, forcing the SUV to come to a stop, police said.
Five men were taken into custody and booked into the Cowlitz County Jail for suspicion of felony theft and elude charges, the agency reported. Their names were not immediately released.
Members of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol assisted.
