MISSISSIPPI — Two men were arrested Monday night after allegedly stealing a vehicle in Hattiesburg, according to the Hattiesburg Police Department.
Police identified the suspects as Miguel Mata Lara, 35, and Geovanny Ponce Paulin, 20. Both are charged with one count of grand larceny auto.
Officers said they received a report of a stolen vehicle around 8:20 p.m. The vehicle’s owner told police he had left it running while going inside a nearby store. While he was inside, two men got into the vehicle and drove away, heading west on Highway 98.
Shortly afterward, the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office reported finding a vehicle matching the description at a checkpoint near Jackson Road and Gravel Pit Road. Deputies said the suspects fled into a wooded area after exiting the vehicle.
Hattiesburg police and Lamar County deputies established a perimeter and apprehended both suspects a short time later. They were transported to HPD for questioning and later booked into the Forrest County Jail.
The investigation remains ongoing.
