Dramatic NorCal chase ends in arrests of men on FBI watch list

A dramatic attempted burglary and chase through the streets of Sacramento County resulted in the capture of two men on an FBI terrorist watch list, authorities say — and much of the pursuit was caught on camera. 

On the evening of Nov. 10, residents in Granite Bay on the shores of Folsom Lake called police after watching two masked men allegedly attempt to break into their home on security cameras. As deputies pulled up to the house, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said the suspects sped off in a black Mercedes SUV, resulting in a high-speed chase through the busy streets of Sacramento, hitting speeds of over 100 mph. After crashing into a sign near Gerber Road, the suspects allegedly fled on foot and attempted to hide in two separate backyards in the suburbs. 

Footage from a helicopter tracking the suspects shows officers approaching the men with police dogs and guns drawn. 

Two suspects were apprehended and allegedly gave officers fake IDs before being identified as Placido Lopez-Vargas, 27, and Angel Emmanuel, 23. They were booked into the Placer County Jail on charges of burglary, felony evasion and conspiracy, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. 

It was later revealed that the men are on an FBI terrorist watch list for allegedly being linked with transnational organized crime, as part of what the agency has called a “South American Theft Group.” Authorities say that around 20 burglaries and over $1 million in stolen goods has been associated with the group’s activities in Placer County in recent months. 

Authorities say the same crime group has traveled from Southern California to target upscale neighborhoods in Granite Bay and Sacramento. “These organized crime groups from another country are now in our county,” Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo told CBS Sacramento.

Vargas and Emmanuel are currently being held in Placer County Jail without bail and are due to appear in court on Nov. 27, records show.