Two men led Manteca Police on a high speed pursuit out of the Burlington Coat Factory about 9 p.m. Saturday with clothing they had allegedly taken from the department store on South Main Street.

They drove around a patrol car in the parking lot to make their escape.

The officers had been alerted to suspicious “shoppers” by the Burlington staff. They arrived on the scene just before the men walked out the front door, police said.

The report indicates the men fled southbound on South Main Street to the Highway 120 Bypass where they drove westbound to Interstate 5 and then northward on that freeway toward Stockton.  

The pursuit of their black primered Honda CRV continued northbound with the pursuing officers becoming concerned for the safety of other motorists on the roadway, calling off the chase at Downey Avenue off ramp where they lost the pair.