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Father’s vehicle burglarized while searching for missing son

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and investigators gather evidence in the area where Bryce Laspisa was believed to have gone missing.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and investigators gather evidence in the area where Bryce Laspisa was believed to have gone missing.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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The father of missing 19-year-old Bryce Laspisa had his vehicle burglarized while he was searching for his son near Castaic, authorities said Tuesday night.

Two men were allegedly seen breaking into the vehicle and loading items into their pickup around 1 p.m. by an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer, who notified deputies from the Santa Clarita sheriff’s station.

They responded and a pursuit began, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

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The vehicle broke down and the two men were arrested.

They were described as 27-year-old and 18-year-old residents of Los Angeles. Their names were not released.

“It’s tragic,” Deputy Joshua Dubin told The Times. “I can’t imagine having a missing child and, on top of that, you have your vehicle broken into.”

Laspisa was driving a 2003 Toyota Highlander that was found on its side about 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 30 on the Main Ramp Road near Castaic Lake, authorities said.

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Several hours earlier, Laspisa called his parents, reportedly from Buttonwillow in Kern County, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities said Laspisa lives in Roseville, Calif., in Placer County, and had been driving to visit his parents in Orange County.

Deputies searched the Castaic and San Francisquito Canyon areas with a helicopter and dogs. They were searching Tuesday for Laspisa, according to Dubin.

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Laspisa is described as white with red hair and blue eyes. He is 5 foot 11 and weighs 170 pounds, according to authorities.

He has a tattoo of a bull’s head with a Roman numeral on his left shoulder. He was last seen wearing white cargo shorts, a blue-and-white checkered shirt and white-and-red Nike shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call sheriff’s Det. Chris Carns at (323) 890-5500.

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Twitter: @LAJourno

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robert.lopez@latimes.com

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