Crime spree in Dos Vientos results in arrests

With the arrests of four juveniles and one adult, all high school students from Thousand Oaks, police think they've found the source of a large increase in vehicle burglaries in the southwest area of Newbury Park in June and July.

Two male youths, ages 12 and 15; two female youths, ages 14 and 16; and an 18-year-old adult male were charged last week with residential burglary, vehicle burglary, grand theft and identity theft. Another adult male was arrested because one of the other teens allegedly bought him something at his request with a stolen credit card, said Ventura County Sheriff's Department Detective Jason Robarts.

Some of the stolen items were recovered, and the suspects acknowledged participating in 15 to 25 crimes, according to Robarts.

Items reportedly stolen from vehicles in the Dos Vientos area include laptops, iPods, wallets, cash- - including change in cup holders- - credit cards, Nintendo DS, GPS units and various other electronics, according to Robarts.

"Usually kids or adults who do this have a drug habit- methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin. About 90 percent are addicted to drugs, but not this time. This time it was just kids out having a blast," he said.

The detective said valuables left in plain sight in vehicles have brought gang members to Thousand Oaks from the Los Angles area and are now tempting teenagers who live here.

"Kids tell each other at school how easy it is to do what they call 'go shopping'" Robarts said.

In the middle of the night, they walk down streets and try vehicle doors, which often are unlocked. If they're locked and the valuables are enticing, like a wallet or a purse, windows get broken.

The five teenagers allegedly also went into unlocked garages and burglarized the vehicles inside, Robarts said.

The repeated use of one of the stolen credit cards at a local gas station prompted the owner of the credit card to alert police, who then obtained a color video of those allegedly using it. Photos captured by the video were sent to Thousand Oaks residents signed up to get City Watch alerts, and they were asked to identify the males in the photos. Incoming calls to authorities matched the identities the police already had, Robarts said.

Some vehicle burglaries go unreported and police are unaware of them until authorities trace recovered items back to the original owners. It helps, Robarts said, if people report the burglaries. It's also important to inform authorities of where credit cards were used after they were stolen, he said.

"People in Thousand Oaks get complacent because it's such a safe city. They have a false sense of security," Robarts said.