Police: Man Accused In Theft Of Minivan Called 911 To Report Carjacking
UPLAND (CBSLA.com) — Authorities say an Upland man accused of stealing a minivan was arrested after they say he called police to report that he had been carjacked.
Jose Cabanillas, the owner of the 2012 white Honda minivan, tells KCAL9's Erica Nochlin that when he and his wife woke up Thursday morning, they realized their van was gone from their driveway in the 200 block of East Loma Vista Street.
"Then she starts screaming, 'Somebody stole the minivan!' " he explained.
While they reported the theft to police that morning, Cabanillas said the officer started laughing and said, "You're not going to believe this."
Police told Cabanillas that another man they identified as Cory Ball, 25, of Upland was reporting a carjacking near the same time about the same van.
Police allege Ball drove to East Loma Vista in Covina to purchase marijuana when he then called 911 and reported that two men with a gun had stolen the van.
Police said Ball described the van as if it were his own giving the same unique description as Cabanillas.
"Blue sticker with yellow letters that says, 'Pioneer Junior High Honor Roll Student,' " Cabanillas said.
As Nochlin reports, investigators pieced it together and arrested Ball on the spot. Police said he has a long history of burglary and drug convictions.
"Everybody is really laughing and saying, 'What is this guy thinking?' " Cabanillas said.
Police are still searching for the van and the two men accused of taking it a second time.
"If we didn't have insurance probably we would still be crying and thinking, 'What are we going to do?' " he said.
