{"id":446629,"date":"2026-08-28T23:54:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/446629\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T23:54:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:54:14","slug":"california-wanted-man-busted-at-panda-express-by-cops-on-lunch-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/446629\/","title":{"rendered":"California wanted man busted at Panda Express by cops on lunch break"},"content":{"rendered":"

He spent a month dodging police, only to stroll into a Panda Express <\/a>where two of the cops looking for him were sitting down to dinner.<\/p>\n

The unbelievable encounter unfolded around 8:30 p.m. July 17 in Monrovia, California, when two officers taking a meal break spotted the man, who was wanted for a probation violation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Monrovia Police Department officers arrested a wanted man after he walked right up to them while they were on a break. Monrovia Police Department<\/p>\n

The dinner break was over in a hurry. Monrovia Police Department<\/p>\n

One officer was still working on a bowl of beef and broccoli when the suspect walked into the San Gabriel Valley restaurant.<\/p>\n

The dinner break was over in a hurry.<\/p>\n

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Bodycam footage shows the officers springing from their table and moving toward the man near the counter before taking him into custody<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And remarkably, this was the third attempt to arrest him.<\/p>\n

The unbelievable encounter unfolded around 8:30 p.m. July 17 in Monrovia, California. Monrovia Police Department<\/p>\n

Police had already tried twice to catch the same suspect while he was out walking but both times he escaped. Monrovia Police Department<\/p>\n

Police had already tried twice to catch the same suspect while he was out walking but both times he escaped by running onto a freeway. <\/p>\n

But on his third attempt, there was no freeway chase, no dramatic pursuit and no getaway. <\/p>\n

Just two cops, one Panda Express and a wanted man who apparently had absolutely no idea who was having dinner nearby.<\/p>\n

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Monrovia Police Department officers arrested a wanted man after he walked up to them during their meal break. Monrovia Police Department<\/p>\n

The Monrovia Police Department released the bodycam footage<\/a> Aug. 27, weeks after the arrest, and poked fun at the bizarre timing on Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, we\u2019re not sure if it was good police work, bad timing, or the irresistible smell of chow mein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason, the officers finally got their man.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t worry, the officers went back for their food and finished their chow mein. Priorities,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n

The details of the crime connected to the probation violation were not immediately available.<\/p>\n

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