Roundup: Help sought ID'ing alleged guitar thief, more news
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County and regional agencies:
Help sought with guitar theft ID
Authorities are seeking the public's help identifying a woman who allegedly walked out of the Guitar Center in Westlake Village recently with two electric guitars in hand.
The incident, considered a grand theft, took place on Aug. 13 at the music retailer's store at 30730 Russell Ranch Road. The site is east of the Ventura County line in the Los Angeles County portion of Westlake Village.
The suspect had reportedly entered the store shortly after 3 p.m. that day and walked around looking at guitars. She spent nearly an hour in the store before leaving with the two instruments shortly before 4 p.m., while employees were distracted, said Detective Angela Lopez of the LA County Sheriff's Lost Hills station. The woman made no attempt to pay for the guitars, which together were valued at more than $1,900, officials say.
One guitar was an Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard Outfit valued at $999. The other was a Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Plus valued at $910.
A special bulletin issued by the Lost Hills station Wednesday afternoon included surveillance images that show the suspect wearing a black dress and carrying a guitar in each hand as she left the store. The hang tags that provide pricing and model information are visible tucked beneath the strings.
As of midday Thursday, the woman hadn't been identified, Lopez said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lost Hills station at 818-878-1808 and ask for Detective Lopez. Information can also be provided anonymously through LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Detectives need your help ID'ing the theft suspect(s). To provide info anonymously, call LA Crime Stoppers 800-222-8477, smartphone:"P3Tips" App or by website: https://t.co/EolYt2qufe @thelocalmalibu @malibudailynews @acornnewspaper @TheMalibuTimes @westlakevillage pic.twitter.com/AIjGHELJLM
— LASD Lost Hills Stn. (@LHSLASD) August 30, 2023
Gunfire prompts investigation in Port Hueneme
The Port Hueneme Police Department is investigating a non-injury shooting that took place Wednesday night.
The incident was reported around 8:10 p.m. near Port Hueneme Road and Surfside Drive. Officers initially found bullet casings in the road but no victim, the department said in a news release. A short time later, authorities located a victim who was not injured.
No damage to property or vehicles was found during a canvass of the area. No suspects had been located as of early Thursday afternoon.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Supervisor Baltazar Tapia at 805-986-6619 or btapia@cityofporthueneme.org.
Delivery driver is suspect in identity theft case
Authorities arrested a Port Hueneme man on Tuesday in connection with an identity theft case they say he carried out while working as a delivery driver.
The arrest is connected to an incident in May. A woman working at an office building in Camarillo reported her purse had been stolen from her work site, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, which is contracted to provide police services in the city.
The victim was alerted by her financial institution that her credit card and personal identifying information had been used to buy merchandise at the Camarillo Premium Outlets. The transactions were ultimately deemed fraudulent.
Investigators gathered evidence that linked the 25-year-old Port Hueneme man to the crime. The suspect allegedly stole the woman's purse while working as a delivery driver. He was an Amazon delivery driver contracted through Axios Logistics, said sheriff's Capt. Dean Worthy.
Tuesday's warrant search of the man's Port Hueneme residence, in the 2700 block of Wendy Place, turned up additional evidence linking the suspect to the incident, sheriff's officials said in a news release.
Prosecutors have charged the man with two felonies, grand theft and identity theft, as well as special enhancements. He was scheduled for an arraignment hearing Thursday afternoon.
2 DUI arrests at checkpoint
Simi Valley Police Department officers arrested two drivers on suspicion of DUI during a checkpoint operation Saturday night.
The checkpoint at Royal and Buckskin avenues started around 7 p.m. and lasted past midnight. Nine unlicensed drivers were also cited. Some 762 vehicles were screened.
The checkpoints are held at locations with a history of DUI-related crashes, officials said. Funds came from a California Office of Traffic Safety grant through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Items may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Help sought ID'ing guitar theft suspect, more news
