Foster City police officers have arrested a 50-year-old Hayward man on suspicion of stealing a car, evading police, and stealing from storage lockers in Foster City over the past several years.
Douglas Poechhacker was arrested at about 2 p.m. Friday without incident after he'd allegedly been running from officers since early that morning, Foster City police said Monday.
An officer attempted to stop a Chevrolet Blazer near the corner of Bounty and Comet drives at about 7:15 a.m., but the driver failed to yield and a short vehicle pursuit ensued, police said.
The driver, in an effort to flee from police, entered the westbound off-ramp of state Highway 92, driving against traffic.
In the interest of public safety, Foster City officers canceled their pursuit but remained in the area, police said.
Moments later, officers located the Blazer on Third Avenue after the driver had driven through a barrier fence on the north side of Highway 92.
Due to the dangerous and erratic driving exhibited by the driver, officers followed from a distance and the Blazer was eventually abandoned in San Mateo near Norfolk Street.
The driver, subsequently identified as Poechhacker, had fled from the vehicle on foot and evaded capture, according to police.
The Blazer, which had been reported stolen earlier in the day, was searched and several thousand dollars worth of stolen property was discovered inside the vehicle.
Later that morning two residents living in the 1400 block of Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City reported thefts from storage lockers at their apartment complex.
Items found in the vehicle Poechhacker was seen driving matched items stolen from the lockers.
About 2:00 p.m., while investigating an unrelated incident, officers recognized Poechhacker from the earlier pursuit walking on Edgewater Boulevard, near Altair Avenue.
Officers arrested Poechhacker, who was taken to the Foster City Police Department where the investigation continued.
Officers interviewed Poechhacker and the victims of the storage locker thefts, and shortly after arrested Poechhacker for several crimes including vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, felony evasion of a police officer, and possession of burglary tools.
Investigators suspect Poechhacker is responsible for several other thefts from storage lockers that have occurred in Foster City over the last couple of years.
He was booked into the San Mateo County Jail for the charges related to Friday’s incident.
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