Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On March 30, 2013 at approximately 7:15 PM, City of Thousand Oaks Patrol Deputies responded to the Janss Mall parking structure and contacted a female victim who was reporting an attempted robbery. The female victim stated she was sitting in her vehicle in the Janss Mall parking structure when a male suspect, S-Banuelos, attempted to open the victim’s car door. Upon finding the door locked, the suspect, S-Banuelos, then reached into the open drivers side window and grabbed the victim by her hair. S-Banuelos then released his hold of the victim’s hair and began reaching into the vehicle with both arms. S-Banuelos grabbed the victim in the upper torso and abdomen area. The victim screamed, and the suspect fled the area on a red mountain bike.

On March 30, 2013, at approximately 8:00 PM, City of Thousand Oaks Patrol Deputies responded to the Thousand Oaks Mall parking structure and contacted a female victim who was reporting a battery. The female victim stated she was walking to her vehicle that was parked in the parking structure when a male suspect, S-Banuelos, grabbed the victim from behind. The victim was walking up a set of stairs when S-Banuelos approached her from behind, grabbed the victim around the waist, and pulled the victim backwards toward him. The victim screamed, struggled with the suspect, and broke free. The suspect fled the area on a red mountain bike.

After hearing the suspect description from the first crime, the City of Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit began assisting the Patrol units by searching the surrounding areas for the suspect. At approximately 10:20 PM, members of the Special Enforcement Unit located the suspect bicycle and then the suspect in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 800 block of Warwick Avenue. The suspect was detained. Patrol deputies responded to the apartment complex with the two victims. Both victims positively identified the suspect.

Both the Janss Mall and Oaks Mall parking structures have video surveillance monitoring the parking structures. The suspect was captured on both video surveillance systems.

During the investigation, a third victim approached the Oaks Malls Security to report a possible theft from her vehicle. The Oaks Mall Security personnel reviewed the video surveillance where the victim’s vehicle was parked and observed Banuelos in the area where the victim’s vehicle was parked.

Banuelos was arrested for attempted robbery, attempted carjacking, and kidnapping. Banuelos was booked into the East County Jail and is being held on $100,000 bail.

Nature of Incident: Attempted Car Jacking / Attempted Robbery / Kidnapping
Report Number: 13-7075 & 13-7082
Location: Janss Mall Parking Structure & Thousand Oaks Mall Parking Structure
Date & Time: 03/30/13 @ 6:30 PM & 7:10 PM
Unit Responsible: City of Thousand Oaks Patrol Services, Special Enforcement / Gang Unit, and the Detective Bureau.
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
V – Female, Thousand Oaks, 19
V – Female, Thousand Oaks, 24
S- Banuelos, Sergio, Thousand Oaks, 19
Prepared by: Sergeant Dan Hawes
Media Release Date: 03/31/2013
Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant Bob Fleming, 805-371-8392
Approved by: Captain J. Hernandez

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).