Man suspected of trashing Laguna Beach car dealership, stealing vehicle arrested after pursuit

A man in a stolen Polestar led police in a pursuit before he was arrested in Newport Beach and is suspected of trashing the Laguna Beach dealership the vehicle was taken from on Saturday.

Officers were summoned “during the early morning hours” to a burglary in progress at Polestar South Coast’s Laguna Beach location at 305 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., according to a news release issued Saturday by Police Chief Jeff Calvert of the Laguna Beach Police Department.

A glass wall and brick retaining wall had been destroyed when they arrived, according to the release, and several vehicles in the showroom had been vandalized. One was stolen.

The missing vehicle was later spotted in Newport Beach. Its driver was arrested after leading police in a pursuit.

Arshad Allauddin, 41, of Tennessee, was booked on suspicion of driving while under the influence of drugs, evading police and vehicle theft. He remained in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail as of Monday morning and was due to appear in court Tuesday, according to online records.

Calvert stated his department will seek charges against Allauddin for burglary, felony vandalism and vehicle theft.

Allaudin had previously been arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a business in Newport Beach as recently as June 24, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Sean Dugan said. He pleaded guilty in that misdemeanor case and was sentenced to about two months in jail in December.

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