Manteca Police initiated a double pursuit at 3 a.m. Sunday chasing what they believed to be two stolen vehicles that they had located in the 600 block of Catmint Street.

A citizen had called police saying he believed one of the cars was being burglarized. Officers Ian Osborn and Mark Rangel responded.

The officers found a silver Ford Mustang and a Toyota Corolla traveling together. A dispatcher confirmed one as having been reported stolen. After first stopping for officers, the cars raced away to an area near Grafton Street in the southeastern portion of the city – one then going to the left and the other to the right.

Officer Rangel gave chase after the Mustang and Osborn followed the Toyota. After Rangel made his traffic stop, the second officer returned to back him up with the first suspect in custody.

Police said the second driver had jumped out of his vehicle while it was still moving. That car hit a tree at slow speed. Both suspects jumped fences in an attempt to escape officers. A perimeter was set up in an attempt to arrest them.

Sgt. Louis Cark spotted the two men walking near Woodward Avenue and detained them.

Charged with auto theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, and resisting arrest were Fernando Nora, 23, of Visalia and Juan Placencia, 22, also of Visalia.

The keys to the Mustang were believed to have been stolen at a party on Tiger Lily Court in the same general neighborhood only minutes earlier. The Corolla is registered out of Visalia, according to police. The Mustang had yet to be reported stolen.

Both men were booked into San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp. Their court date was set in the Manteca Branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.