Monterey police officers responded to reports of three masked individuals who had stolen dozens of sunglasses — merchandise worth more than $30,000 — before fleeing from a Sunglasses Hut on Cannery Row shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday, according to a social media post by the Monterey Police Department.

Shortly after, neighboring jurisdictions using automated license plate readers alerted Monterey to a vehicle matching the suspected getaway vehicle, a silver Chrysler 300 sedan traveling at high speeds. Police were able to stop the vehicle and detain the driver in Marina, however, one of the passengers got into the driver’s seat and fled north with the other occupants on Highway 1 in the vehicle, according to Monterey police.

Before officers terminated their pursuit of the fleeing car, one of its occupants allegedly threw a bag of sunglasses out the window, which police later recovered.

Shortly before 5 p.m., the California Highway Patrol responded to a multi-car crash involving the same Chrysler on northbound Highway 1, just south of State Park Drive. The Chrylser’s driver had apparently rear-ended another vehicle, pushing it into another vehicle ahead and causing injuries to passengers in both.

According to Monterey police, witnesses said three of the Chrysler’s occupants fled on foot into nearby Aptos. Officers searching the area for the next couple hours did not locate the individuals.

The originally detained driver was 22-year-old Hayward resident Shawn Morita. Morita was arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and organized retail theft and was booked into the Monterey County Jail with bail set at $20,000.