Welcome Farm Watch subscribers to this late Fall Edition. This report will not be the good news I had hoped to be sending all of you just prior to our Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

Total crime rates in the Agricultural communities in Ventura County went up significantly as compared to this same time period last year. The County took a significant hit in the area of larcenies including a crime spree in the area of theft of batteries, diesel fuel and metal pipes. The batteries were taken from farm equipment as well as vehicles parked in rural areas. Also a continuing trend is theft of metal (all kinds). Basically, if it’s metal, it is subject to theft when left in unsecured areas of properties. We have been extra patrolling the numerous ranch properties all around the county and made a significant arrest last week in the Santa Clara Valley. Detectives Aguilar and Hendren arrested a suspect that was in possession of several pieces of stolen property after they secured a search warrant. Great job by the Fillmore Detectives!

Please as always continue to call in ANY suspicious persons / vehicles that should not be on your property or perhaps in the general area. The following were reported crimes specific to our agricultural communities:

3100 block of Pleasant Valley Road in Oxnard: suspects stole plants right out of the ground and left holes in the fields. Unbelievable! Our CSI team is working on evidence from this caper as I write this newsletter.

Telegraph Road in the Santa Clara Valley: Suspects cut off a lock on a chain link fence that surrounds a diesel engine and water pump. Several wires had been cut and were removed from two car batteries and the diesel engine.

18000 block of Telegraph Road in the Santa Clara Valley: Tool boxes stolen left in an open area of this ranch in addition to a rigid drill that was taken as well. 3 oxygen tanks were also stolen, however the suspects left two small generators.

3700 block of LA Ave. in Somis: 550 steel poles for crop tents stolen. A possible witness stated a white cargo van and a dark colored Chevy Silverado truck with a camper shell was seen leaving the area at the time of the theft. No arrests made as of this date.

8500 Santa Rosa Road, Camarillo: 200 metal poles stolen from this ranch. It appears the suspects backed a vehicle onto an adjacent orchard property and took the poles from a large pile of poles that had been stored at the edge of this property.

4100 block of Hueneme Road, Oxnard: An employee at this ranch saw 2 unknown male subjects loading metal poles on to an old trailer that was pulled by a dark colored pick-up truck at about 3 A.M. 100 poles were stolen, and it was too dark to get a description of the men committing the theft.

300 Block of South Briggs Road: diesel fuel and gasoline stolen from work trucks along with several hand tools taken as well. The outer chain link fence had been cut for access to the ranch equipment / fuel.

6000 block of Wheeler Canyon Road, Santa Paula: 300 gallons of diesel fuel from an above ground fuel storage tank was stolen as well as a battery that was taken from a ranch tractor. Possible suspect vehicle is a white mid size newer model pick-up, possibly a Dodge Dakota. Also of note, the suspect had a small white and brown Jack Russel Terrier dog with him.

4100 Block of Bradley Road, Somis: The warehouse to this business was left unlocked so their pet cats could go in and out, however, suspects gained entry and stole a Dodge Ram truck, a generator, and over 4000 pounds of copper wire.

Prevention Tips:

As always, the Sheriff’s Office encourages you to take preventive measures to secure and protect your property including the use of high quality locks, security lighting, surveillance cameras, and marking your property with identifiable numbers.

Contacts:

Fillmore Detective Darin Hendren darin.hendrin@ventura.org or 524-2235 Ventura Detective Christine Rettura Christine.rettura@ventura.org 662- 6770

Agricultural Crimes Detective, Ray Dominguez at Ray.Dominguez@ventura.org Camarillo Detective Nora Soler, at Nora.soler@ventura.org

I would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown who puts together your maps and digests all the crime data along with Det. Ray Dominguez who assists tremendously with the crime summaries.

Be alert and always safe!

Monica (797-6338)

Geoff Dean - Sheriff
Gary Pentis & John Crombach - Assistant Sheriffs