Burglary suspect caused Travis AFB lockdown

Santa Clara police Tuesday released more information about a pursuit that resulted in a suspect vehicle crashing through a gate at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield last month.

At about 4:45 a.m. on Dec. 20, detectives were trying to locate Jared McEssy, who had several warrants for his arrest and is believed to be associated with more than 40 burglaries in Santa Clara County in the past six months, police said.

McEssy and four other people were spotted in a gas station parking lot in Solano County and the detectives called Fairfield police to assist.

Fairfield police tried to pull the vehicle over but the suspects fled and a pursuit ensued in which the suspects struck another vehicle and ran several red lights, Santa Clara police said.

Out of regard for the public’s safety, the officers stopped the pursuit, but a short time later received information that the suspects had driven through the main gate of Travis Air Force Base and were on the loose inside the base, police said.

The base was locked down as the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. After a search lasting a couple of hours, McEssy and the other four suspects were all located and arrested. An altered shotgun was found in the abandoned vehicle, police said.

The five were all eventually booked into Santa Clara County Jail.

Police have not released the identities of the other four suspects besides McEssy.

Investigators believe the suspects were responsible for a burglary in Fremont and another in San Ramon earlier that day, according to Santa Clara police.

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