Burglar breaks into home being fumigated, steals wedding rings

March 23, 2017

A Lompoc man broke into a Santa Ynez home while it was being fumigated and stole several firearms, a large amount of jewelry and heirlooms, including deceased relatives’ wedding rings, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The burglar took the heirlooms directly off an urn that contained the relatives’ ashes, sheriff’s officials say.

On Feb. 27, a fumigation company tented a home for termites in the 2600 block of Baseline Drive in the Santa Ynez area. Company employees returned on the morning of March 1 to remove the tents.

The workers discovered the home had been burglarized. The crime occurred sometime between 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 and 7 a.m. on March 1, according to a sheriff’s office press release.

On March 10, the sheriff’s office assigned detectives with the Criminal Investigations Bureau to the case. Based on evidence gathered at the scene, detectives identified Geovanny Carbajal-Vera, 23, as a suspect. Detectives determined Carbajal-Vera had two outstanding warrants and was on probation.

On March 20, sheriff’s detectives located Carbajal-Vera at a home in Lompoc. Deputies searched the home and found items from the burglary. However, sheriff’s officials did not recover the stolen jewelry or firearms.

An investigation into the case is ongoing. Detectives say they have reason to believe more suspects may have been involved.

Investigators request that anyone who has information about the crime or whereabouts of the stolen property call the Sheriffs’ Criminal Investigations Bureau at (805) 934-6170 or leave an anonymous tip at (805) 681-4171.