Santa Maria teens arrested for car theft and burglaries

June 19, 2018

While investigating an unrelated drunk driver hit and run, Santa Barbara County Sheriff deputies recovered a stolen vehicle and property taken during multiple home burglaries. Deputies then arrested three teens from Santa Maria. [Cal Coast Times]

Shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday, a sheriff’s deputy was investigating an unrelated hit and run/DUI case when he received an alert that a black 2006 Infinity G36 taken following a residential burglary in Oxnard was in Buellton. Deputies located the stolen car at a gas station in the 100 block of E. Highway 246.

Deputies arrested the driver on charges of vehicle theft and possession of stolen property.

Deputies located another group associated with the occupants of the stolen car in an additional vehicle nearby. Inside the stolen vehicles, deputies found stolen property from recent residential burglaries including a 12 gauge shot gun and a police style radio that was property of Oxnard animal control.

The radio was tuned to Oxnard Police Department’s radio frequency.

In total, seven individuals were contacted in this investigation:

Rodolfo Gutierrez,19, of Santa Maria, charged with vehicle theft and receiving stolen property.

Thomas Moreno, 19, of Santa Maria, charged with receiving stolen property.

A 17 years old from Santa Maria, booked into Juvenile Hall for receiving stolen property

Two Minors, 16 and 17 years old were reported runaways and were released to their parents

Two other adults, 18 years olds, were detained and released from the scene.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to please call the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department at 805-681-4150.