5.22.22 – (KTLA) – IRVINE, Calif
Two people were arrested after a Mercedes-Benz believed to have been involved in a rash of burglaries in Southern California turned out to have a James Bond-esque license plate flipper, among other devices, Irvine police said Wednesday.
Police first got a call about the car from a resident who recognized the “suspicious” vehicle as possibly being involved in several vehicle burglaries that happened the week before, Irvine Police Department officials said.
Officers found and stopped the vehicle in the area of Harvard Avenue and Main Street in Irvine, about 40 miles south of Los Angeles.
They discovered the car had a device that can flip the vehicle’s license plate with the push of a button.
It also had an elaborate gas siphoning device that transferred fuel directly into the vehicle’s gas tank, according to the department.
“The suspect vehicle was something out of 007 movie,” police said on Instagram.
Inside the car, officers found burglary tools, evidence of ID theft, and stolen property like cash and wallets. They also found remotes and key fobs that they believe allowed the suspects to get into residential buildings.
During the investigation, police also discovered a car that had previously been stolen from Irvine, authorities said.
Yasmine Kambour, 37, and Chris Huynh, 44, both of Garden Grove, were arrested on suspicion of vehicle burglary, vehicle theft, identity theft, possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools.
Kambour is being held on $95,100 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Huynh is being held on $50,000 bail, according to county inmate records.
“In 19 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Irvine police Sgt. Karie Davies said.
Davies said the vehicle was seen on surveillance video getting into parking structures and word was getting out.
The suspects have been tied to a total of six cases in Irvine and one in Newport Beach, according to the sergeant.
“I have no doubt that more people are going to come forward,” Davies said.