Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location(s): 8000 block of Stockton Rd., Somis, California
8000 block of Los Angeles Ave., Somis, California

Date & Time: May 16, 2008 / 2155 pm Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau – Agricultural Crimes Unit and the Camarillo Police Department Special Enforcement Detail
(A)rrestees Address Age
Jorge Lara Gutierrez Oxnard, CA 25
Ulises Carranza Oxnard, CA 18
Male Juvenile 17

During the first week of May 2008, the Sheriff’s Department’s Agricultural Crimes Unit identified possible suspects involved in agricultural copper and brass thefts that occurred over a 6-month period of time in the City of Camarillo and the surrounding unincorporated areas. When the suspects were initially identified, investigators did not have sufficient information and evidence to arrest them, so periodic surveillance of the suspects was conducted in order to try to catch them in the act.

On 5-16-2008, a detective from the Agricultural Crimes Unit of the Major Crimes Bureau and investigators from the Camarillo Police Department’s Special Enforcement Detail followed three suspects, later identified as Jorge Gutierrez, Ulises Carranza, and an unnamed juvenile, to ranches located in the of the 8000 block of Stockton Road and the 8000 block of Los Angeles Avenue in Somis.

While under surveillance all thee suspects were seen stealing brass valves from irrigation pipes and copper wiring from a tractor-trailer. The three suspects were subsequently stopped and arrested for grand theft, vandalism, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools, and trespass.

Gutierrez and Carranza were booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and the juvenile was cited and released.

It is believed that these suspects are responsible for numerous thefts involving agricultural irrigation valves and copper wire. Anyone who has been the victim of a similar crime during the past six months is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau at (805) 477-7000.