Fugitive walks right into California cops’ dinner break, gets arrested

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

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.

One officer was still working on a bowl of beef and broccoli when the suspect walked into the San Gabriel Valley restaurant.

The dinner break was over in a hurry.

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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.

And remarkably, this was the third attempt to arrest him.

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.

But on his third attempt, there was no freeway chase, no dramatic pursuit and no getaway.

Just two cops, one Panda Express and a wanted man who apparently had absolutely no idea who was having dinner nearby.

The Monrovia Police Department released the bodycam footage Aug. 27, weeks after the arrest, and poked fun at the bizarre timing on Instagram.

“At this point, we’re not sure if it was good police work, bad timing, or the irresistible smell of chow mein.”

Whatever the reason, the officers finally got their man.

“And don’t worry, the officers went back for their food and finished their chow mein. Priorities,” the post read.

The details of the crime connected to the probation violation were not immediately available.