Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Two Fillmore juveniles were arrested Friday afternoon, July 27th, after deputies and investigators determined they were responsible for stealing two vehicles and for rummaging through unlocked vehicles on the west side of Fillmore during the overnight hours.

On the morning of July 27th, 2018, Fillmore deputies responded to a stolen vehicle call in the 400 Block of Mockingbird Lane, where they learned the victim’s pickup was stolen from the street in front of the home. Over the next few hours, deputies also responded to multiple thefts from vehicles parked near the mid-block of Wileman Street and an additional stolen vehicle in the 1000 block of First Street. All of these locations are situated within a few blocks of one another. Both stolen vehicles were recovered near the initial crime locations and returned to their owners.

Deputies and detectives suspected a male juvenile from Fillmore who had previously been arrested for engaging in theft-related crimes in Fillmore. Throughout the day, Fillmore deputies and investigators followed up on several leads and eventually arrested two sixteen-year old male juveniles for the crimes, including the one mentioned above. Both juveniles were lodged at Juvenile Hall.

The Fillmore Police and Sheriff’s Office continue to remind residents not to leave ignition keys inside their cars. The city of Fillmore has seen a significant increase in stolen vehicles reported this year, and most of the vehicles that were stolen had ignition keys left inside the unlocked vehicles, making them an easy target for thieves. Another common tactic among thieves is to walk the streets in the overnight hours checking for unlocked vehicles from which they can steal. In this instance, the juveniles were observed on surveillance video in the area checking cars parked on the streets for unlocked doors. The juveniles bypassed cars with locked doors, but rummaged through those whose doors were unlocked. Fillmore residents are reminded to remove valuables from vehicles and to lock their vehicle doors when leaving vehicles unattended.

Prepared by: Detective Danielle Delpit
Approved by: Captain Eric Tennessen