Man arrested for second time in parcel thefts

LADERA RANCH A Westminster man is out on bail Friday morning after being arrested for the second time in five months on suspicion of stealing parcels from people's front porches.

At 5:05 p.m. Monday, a man called police to say he was on Antonio Parkway in Ladera Ranch following someone in a green Toyota Camry who had just stolen a package off his porch.

Tien Kim Vu, 37, of Westminster.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IRVINE POLICE DEPARTMENT

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The man followed the suspect, described as an Asian male in his 30s with dark hair and glasses, as he turned onto Avendale Boulevard, Sklar Street and Ranunculus Street, which is a dead end.

The suspect turned around and made his way back to Antonio Parkway, and headed toward Crown Valley Parkway. Deputies had arrived by that time and pulled over the Camry into an Arco gas station parking lot.

Deputies found six UPS packages in the Camry, which was being driven by Tien Kim Vu. Deputies arrested Vu, 37, and he was charged with six misdemeanor counts of petty theft and one felony count of receiving stolen property.

Vu also faces an enhancement felony charge of committing a secondary offense while released from custody on another case. Vu was arrested last fall by Irvine Police, who found more than 150 packages in his home and car, according to an Irvine Police Department press release.

An officer had been tracking a series of thefts reported by residents in north Irvine, and twice the officer received information about a suspicious looking vehicle in the area near where the thefts occurred. On Oct. 27, the officer spotted the vehicle and saw Vu placing a package onto the passenger seat of the car, then getting in and driving away.

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Man arrested for second time in parcel thefts