Nature of Incident: Vehicle Burglaries (Third-Row Seat Thefts)
Report Number: 15-12272
Location: Ventura County & Los Angeles County
Date & Time: 06/01/15 @ 4:00 AM
Unit Responsible: Thousand Oaks Patrol / East County Investigations Bureau / Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit
(S)uspects, City of Residence Age
(S) Hunter, Robert Los Angeles, CA 24
(S) Brownridge, Kenneth Los Angeles, CA 22
(S) Triplett, Courtney Palmdale, CA 18
Narrative:
Over the past three years, Ventura County and Los Angeles County residents who own “General Motors” vehicles like the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon are being targeted for their vehicle’s third-row seats. Suspects are popping vehicle hatches and stealing the vehicle’s third-row seats within a minute’s time.
During the early morning hours on 06-01-2015, Thousand Oaks deputies stopped a vehicle occupied by Kenneth Brownridge, Robert Hunter, and Courtney Triplett. In plain view inside the vehicle, deputies observed six sets of unattached third-row seats, and burglary tools used to remove these seats from GM sport-utility vehicles. The third-row seats were suspected to have been stolen from Thousand Oaks residents. Third-row seat replacement at a dealership could cost up to $4,000.00. According to investigators, suspects are selling third-row seats on websites like Craigslist.com or in salvage yards.
All three suspects were documented Los Angeles based gang members and arrested for 459PC (vehicle burglary), 664/459PC (attempted vehicle burglary), 182(a)(1)PC (conspiracy to commit a crime), 466PC (possession of burglary tools), and 186.22(a)PC (participation in a criminal street gang). Search warrants were served following the arrest of the three suspects and additional third-row seats were located during the investigation.
All three suspects are in custody at the Ventura County Jail, with their bail set at $300,000.00. Their arraignments are scheduled for 06-03-2015.
Prepared by: Detective Billy Hutton #3438
Media Release Date: June 2, 2015
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Kelly Roark #3380, 805-947-8261; [email protected]
Approved by: Captain Jim Fryhoff
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
