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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.