Two Colombian nationals were arrested in California after automated license plate readers alerted authorities to a stolen 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 linked to a violent carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon in Hawthorne, California, on July 11, 2026, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Days after the incident, deputies received an alert from an automated license plate reader indicating the stolen vehicle was traveling through Rolling Hills Estates. During the search, authorities discovered the vehicle was also connected to a recent residential burglary in Torrance.

The passenger, identified as 21-year-old Alan Pena Sabogn from Bogotá, Colombia, was apprehended and arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, obstructing a peace officer, and providing false identification. The arrests were made with the assistance of deputies, dispatchers, and Air Support, highlighting the role of technology and teamwork in quickly identifying suspects and removing them from communities.

"This arrest is another example of how technology, proactive policing, and teamwork between deputies, dispatchers, and Air Support help quickly identify suspects and remove them from our communities," the sheriff's department said.

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