Undercover Salinas officers follow stolen vehicle into Prunedale, police say

A friend of the owner of a reported stolen car found the vehicle near Harden Ranch Shopping Center in Salinas Sunday, police said.

After the report came in, officers with the Violence Suppression Unit started following the car in North Salinas. Officers ran the license plate and determined the vehicle was stolen, police said.

After an unsuccessful attempt to pull the car over, a chase began that took officers all the way into the Oak Hills area near Prunedale, police said.

The suspect crashed his car into a tree, abandoned it and ran away, police said.

Salinas police Monterey County Sheriff deputies and California Highway Patrol officers set up a perimeter but there was too much space to cover. They also brought out a K9 unit, police said.

This article will be updated when more information becomes available.