Thief At Large After Stealing $47K In Cash, Firing Shots At Victim

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Los Angeles police are searching for a suspect who stole $47,000 in cash that his victim intended to use to buy a car, then fired shots and crashed a vehicle as he eluded arrest.

Officer Sal Ramirez says the suspect was armed with a rifle when he approached the victim and went through his pockets Wednesday in Tarzana.

The thief then searched the victim's vehicle and discovered the cash that he was carrying to purchase a new car.

The suspect fired shots as the victim chased after him. Then as he led officers on a vehicle chase, the suspect crashed a car and ran off into a neighborhood.

Police set up a perimeter and searched for hours in an area bordered by Hatteras and Oxnard streets, and Reseda Boulevard and Etiwanda Avenue. The suspect was not found.

Investigators have not released a suspect description.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)