On Friday, Oct. 23 at approximately 8 a.m., Glendale Police were dispatched to a report of two subjects, later identified as 38-year-old Ruben Lopez-Ortega of Pacoima and 34-year-old Nicole Loeffler of North Hollywood, who were actively attempting to steal a vehicle from a subterranean parking garage on the 1100 block of Linden Avenue.
Responding officers located Lopez-Ortega running from the location and he was immediately detained. Officers quickly learned that a second subject (Loeffler) had fled on foot in a separate direction and was jumping fences to neighboring residences. A perimeter was quickly established and, at one point, Loeffler entered someone’s residence while attempting to escape from officers; however, 9-1-1 was called and Loeffler ran from the residence. Officers ultimately located and detained Loeffler in the backyard of a residence.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a resident entered the subterranean parking garage of his/her building and observed a door ajar on his/her vehicle and that the hood was up with Lopez-Ortega and Loeffler standing in front of it. When confronted, Lopez-Ortega stated he was “fixing” the vehicle for someone; however, the vehicle belonged to the resident and 9-1-1 was quickly called. The owner of the vehicle and another resident told the two not to move until police arrived, so Lopez-Ortega picked up an object and began waving it at them to get them away from him, eventually running out of the structure where he was detained by police. Lopez-Ortega was also found to be in possession of shaved car keys and screwdrivers. Lopez-Ortega and Loeffler were both arrested and booked for burglary and attempted vehicle theft.