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Farm Watch
 By Anonymous — Monday, July 2nd, 2012
May - June 2012 Edition
     WELCOME FARM WATCH READERS! Agricultural Crimes Detective Ray Dominguez had the following update from his activities and investigations around Ventura County: Once again, I regret having to report several thefts/burglaries that occurred over the Memorial Day weekend. As mentioned in last month’s Farm Watch, we commonly see this type of activity occurring on long holiday weekends because crooks know it’s a great opportunity for them to practice their “Craft.” Below are several of the thefts worth mentioning: One flower growing operation in the Oxnard Plains area was the victim of a costly chemical theft. The suspect(s) forced entry into two secured chemical storage barns and took an estimated $40,000 worth of chemicals. Many of these chemicals are specifically used in the production of ornamental flowers. Refer to the attached flyer regarding this case for additional information. An avocado grower in the Ojai Valley was the target of an avocado theft with an estimated 1,000 pounds of avocados being stripped from his trees and dragged off the property. There are no suspect(s) or vehicle(s) identified in this case. Two different victim farms located on Hueneme Road in the Oxnard Plains area were hit for a combined loss of 1,000+ brass sprinkler heads. The suspect(s) snapped the sprinklers off of irrigation pipes being stored on the properties, and will likely be recycled as scrap metal. No suspect(s) have been identified in these cases. Another victim farm located on Laguna Rd. in the unincorporated area of Camarillo was the target of scrap metal thieves. The suspect(s) accessed the property via an open gate and attacked several electrical power boxes stripping approximately 525 feet of ¾” copper wiring. The suspect(s) used a pair of heavy-duty wire cutters that were found at the crime scene. Based on evidence found at the scene, it appears the suspect(s) tried to cut live wires and may have suffered serious electrical burns in the process. A check of local hospitals for possible burn victims produced negative results. A victim farm located near the Camarillo Airport was the victim of a Grand Theft. The victim had a trailer/spherical fertilizer tank stolen from the location. The suspect(s) moved the victim’s John Deere tractor to gain access to the trailer/tank and proceeded to dump approximately 700 gallons of liquid fertilizer on the ground before making off with the trailer. The 1000 gallon tank was marked with “SMP” and is tan in color. No suspects have been identified in this case. We have also seen a recent rash of arson activity at local farms in the Oxnard Plains area. Sheriff’s Arson Investigators are working these cases and are asking for your help in solving these cases. Please refer to the attached flyer for information. With the Independence Day holiday just around the corner, please remember that any property left out in plain view is subject to theft and/or vandalism and will attract thieves and vandals. Please take the time to mark and secure your property to help avoid being the next victim of crime. The following advice is always wise if you suspect illegal activity on your property: Call the Sheriff’s Office immediately at 911. If you are not sure of how to address the problem or would like additional crime prevention tips please contact your local Sheriff’s Office substation or Detective Ray Dominguez directly at (805) 384-4726 or by email at ray.dominguez@ventura.org. Contacts: Camarillo Detective Shawn Pewsey, shawn.pewsey@ventura.org Fillmore Detective John Fox john.fox@ventura.org Ventura Detective Christine Rettura Christine.rettura@ventura.org Agricultural Crimes Detective, Ray Dominguez at Ray.Dominguez@ventura.org As always, we would like to thank Sheriff’s Crime Analyst Karen Brown and Det. Ray Dominguez, for this issue’s great crime and alert update. Be alert and always safe! Monica (797-6338) Geoff Dean - Sheriff |
