Suspect 1 - Hispanic Male, balding black hair, 5’5” - 5’8”, 180 - 200 lbs Late 40's

Suspect 2 - Hispanic Female, shoulder length brown hair, 5’2” - 5’5”, 130 – 150 lbs 40's

On July 3, 2015, a female victim and her family were having dinner at El Pescador Restaurant in the city of Fillmore. The victim hung her purse on the back rest of her chair and enjoyed her meal. After eating, the victim realized her purse was stolen.

Surveillance footage captured the below pictured subjects entering the restaurant. The female enters the restaurant with her cellphone to her ear and pretends to look for her party. The male subject enters shortly thereafter and walks by the victim. The male grabs the purse and covers it with his black jacket. The male immediately walks out of the restaurant, and the female follows a few seconds later.

Both subjects get into a silver or gray early 2000’s Acura MDX, driven by a third subject, and flee the area, west on Highway 126.

The same male subject stole a purse from a female victim shopping at Smart & Final, in the city of Camarillo. The victim placed her purse in the shopping cart. The victim became distracted and, when she returned to her cart, her purse was gone.

Surveillance footage captured the same male subject using his jacket to cover the victim’s purse as he took it from the cart and walked out of the store. In this case, the suspect was seen working with another unknown male subject who also entered the store and appeared to be the primary subject’s “look out.” Both suspects got into the same vehicle described in the Fillmore incident.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating and/or identifying the suspects pictured below. If anyone has information or if you have been victimized, you are encouraged to contact Detective Javier Chavez at the Fillmore Police Station.

Nature of Incident: Organized Purse Thieves
Report Number: 15-14958
Location: 1305 W. Ventura St., Fillmore
Date & Time: July 3, 2015, at 9:15 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence
Suspect 1 - Hispanic Male, balding black hair, 5’5” - 5’8”, 180 -200 lbs Late 40's
Suspect 2 - Hispanic Female, shoulder length brown hair, 5’2” - 5’5”, 130 – 150 lbs 40's
Vehicle:
Silver / gray early 2000’s Acura MDX (SUV)
Prepared by: Detective Javier Chavez
Media Release Date: January 29, 2016
Follow-Up Contact: Detective Javier Chavez, 805-524-2233; Javier.chavez@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Dave Wareham

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).