Three individuals are in custody after a brief pursuit and investigation led to the arrests of the suspects in several mid-day burglaries in Valencia and Castaic.

Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox.

Deputies with the Sheriff’s Department’s Parks Bureau and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station teamed up to make several arrests Monday.

Rafiki Ras Smith, 18, of Los Angeles, Kiyon H Hodges, 23 of Los Angeles, and Jumua Jaihad Zhaytoon, 20, of Victorville, are in custody at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of burglary charges.

Shortly before 2 p.m., deputies received reports of suspicious activity on the 30300 block of June Rose Court in Castaic.

A Parks Bureau deputy who was in the area spotted the suspects’ car near the area, according to Sheriff’s Department officials.

A white 2013 Nissan Maxima rental car was spotted by an area resident who didn’t recognize the vehicle or the individuals who were going into a nearby backyard, and called Sheriff’s Station deputies.

A deputy who was in the area attempted to make a traffic stop. However, the suspects’ vehicle did not stop. Deputies then coordinated a containment of the area.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies eventually caught up to two suspects, Smith and Hodges, who allegedly had abandoned the vehicle after reports of a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 5.

Sheriff’s Department Parks Bureau deputies later found Zhaytoon hiding in a trash can on Star Canyon Place near where the suspects were spotted.  

Deputies also arrested a fourth suspect who was not named, but was seen walking near a housing complex on Hillcrest Drive in Castaic.

The two suspects were found hiding in an empty jacuzzi on the 27000 block of Fairway Lane in Valencia.

Smith and Hodges were arrested without incident.

Smith, whose occupation is listed as a rap artist, pleaded no contest Feb. 13 to one count of resisting arrest and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years formal probation, according to Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Smith is in custody and does not have a bail amount listed, according to Sheriff’s Department records.

Hodges and Zhayton are being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

They are due in court Wednesday for their arraignment.

Detectives believe the suspects may be linked to additional burglaries that were reported in the area, according to a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station official.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and no other information is being released at this time.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

[node:title]

Article: [node:title]
Source: Santa Clarita News
Author: [node:author]