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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the highway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.