San Bernardino police searching for Victor Manuel Alanis, man wanted for robbery, cargo theft, participating in street takeover
San Bernardino Police Department officers are searching for a man wanted in connection with a street takeover and robbery that occurred on Sunday.
In a very snarky press release, SBPD relayed that Victor Manuel Alanis was one of many participants involved in the robbery of a semi truck that held multiple pieces of furniture, after yanking the driver out of the cab.
Video from the scene shows dozens of participants pulling furniture out of the back of the semi truck and loading them into the back of Alanis' personal truck, a maroon Chevy Silverado, with a light-gray driver's door.
CBS reporters spoke with one witness who recorded several moments from the wild street takeover, which she described as a "free-for-all."
She noted that it started as a car meet and street takeover at the intersection of 5th Street and Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino, before things got out of hand, detailing fireworks and people pouring gasoline in the street before setting it ablaze with flamethrowers amongst other things, before the robbery occurred.
"I was offered a piece of the couch when they were looting the truck" she said. "They went crazy, they started ripping the back of the truck open and it was a free-for-all for what was inside."
She said that she decided to leave shortly after, since one of the flamethrowers brushed way too close for comfort, causing a minor burn on her face.
Residents are rightfully upset that their streets turned into this reckless mob atmosphere so easily.
"That shouldn't happen here," said Cathy Hilson, a San Bernardino local. "I just thought about safety, and how it was very unsafe for them to be doing that around kids."
Alanis now faces a $200,000 warrant for robbery and cargo theft, as SBPD officers look to "hook him up for his warrant and get him set up with a new place to sit at one of the local jails."
The driver of the semi truck is expected to be okay.
Anyone with additional information could contact police at (909) 384-5742.
