Roundup: Brothers nabbed in retail theft ring, ghost gun leads to arrest, more

Cytlalli Salgado, Ventura County Star

January 16, 2022 at 11:30 PM·4 min read

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:

2 brothers arrested, tied to retail theft

VENTURA COUNTY – Two men were arrested earlier this month after an organized retail theft spree that took place over the past several months throughout Southern California.

In November, deputies from Ventura County Sheriff’s in Moorpark responded to a jewelry theft at a department store.

A lone suspect had disabled a security cable affixed to a large jewelry display case and carried it into an awaiting vehicle parked directly in front of the exit, authorities said. The store's management estimated the jewelry's value to be over $21,500.

Moorpark detectives learned the same suspect was believed responsible for committing similar thefts at seven different locations of the same department store chain throughout region, with an estimated loss of more than $124,000, officials said.

Detectives later identified the initial suspect, a 30-year-old man from North Hollywood. Authorities said he conspired and worked in conjunction with his brother, a 37-year-old man from Van Nuys, to commit the thefts.

On Jan. 7, Moorpark detectives, assisted by the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit detectives arrested the two suspects outside of an apartment complex in Los Angeles where one of the brothers had been staying.

The brothers were transported and booked at the Ventura main jail on suspicion of grand theft for two incidents that occurred within Ventura County. Bail was set at $75,000 for each.

They were both scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Retail theft duo pleads guilty

VENTURA – A pair of 18-year-olds pleaded guilty to eight felony charges on Friday, according to Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

On Nov. 27, the two stole 46 bottles of perfume from Ulta Beauty store in Oxnard and 33 bottles from the Camarillo location, according to the the district attorney's office.

Areonah Walker, 18, of Riverside, and Terrion Phillips, 18, of Los Angeles, used “booster bags” modified to avoid security detection at both stores, authorities said.

Phillips drove at dangerous speeds during heavy holiday traffic to escape a pursuit from Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies. The two were eventually arrested.

Investigators later connected Walker to thefts that occurred in October, at Ulta Beauty stores in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks and at a Sephora store in Thousand Oaks.

She is also being investigated for allegedly participating in 19 organized retail thefts in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside counties with losses amounting over $150,000.

Walker pleaded guilty to five counts of felony grand theft, including the thefts committed in October. Phillips pleaded guilty to two counts of felony grand theft and one felony count of evading a police officer.

The total value of items stolen from Ulta Beauty was over $27,000 and from Sephora more than $12,000.

Walker and Phillips are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. in courtroom 23 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Each count is punishable by up to three years in county jail.

Ghost gun leads to arrest

OXNARD – A 23-year-old Port Hueneme man was arrested Friday in Oxnard on suspicion of felony firearm charges after an apparent ghost gun was found in his vehicle, authorities said

At approximately 6:40 p.m., officers from the Oxnard Special Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a suspected of a traffic infraction at C and Sixth streets, according to the Oxnard Police Department.

A driver and two additional passengers were in the vehicle. Officers said they identified one person as an Oxnard criminal street gang member who was on probation for vandalism with court-permitted search terms.

Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9-mm Glock-style polymer 80 semi-automatic handgun.

Polymer guns are sold commercially as incomplete, without serial numbers, and must be further manufactured to make them into functioning firearms. Guns such as these are often referred to as ghost guns.

Officers arrested the driver for possessing the handgun. He was booked into Ventura County jail on suspicion of felony firearm-related charges.

Anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is asked to contact the Oxnard Police Department at 805-385-7600 or online via the department’s website at www.oxnardpd.org.

Cytlalli Salgado is a breaking news reporter for the Ventura County Star. She can be reached by calling 805-437-0257 or emailing cytlalli.salgado@vcstar.com.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: 2 nabbed in theft ring, ghost gun leads to arrest, more

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2 brothers arrested, tied to retail theft

Retail theft duo pleads guilty

Ghost gun leads to arrest

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