Community
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).
News Story - Thousand Oaks Tobacco Products Retailer Compliance Check
| Nature of Incident: | Thousand Oaks Tobacco Products Retailer Compliance Check | ||||
| Report Number: | |||||
| Location: | Thousand Oaks, CA | ||||
| Date & Time: | Friday May 13, 2022 | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) Thousand Oaks Investigations Ventura County Public Health |
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
| (S-1) Desire Giles (S-2) William Stover |
Oxnard Oxnard |
21 54 |
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| Narrative: | |||||
| On May 13, 2022, Detectives from the Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU), Thousand Oaks Investigations and Ventura County Public Health conducted a multi-location tobacco products compliance check in the city of Thousand Oaks. The compliance checks were conducted at 16 different locations by utilizing an underage decoy to attempt to purchase tobacco products from the businesses. The goal of this operation was to prevent the sale of tobacco products to underage individuals and ensure the businesses were following California state law. This operation was in response to multiple complaints from concerned parents who provided information to the Thousand Oaks Police Department that businesses in the city of Thousand Oaks were selling tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21. Additionally, employees from the Ventura County Public Health Tobacco Policy Program assisted detectives during the operation to help educate the business regarding necessary signage and possible consequences of selling tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21. The underage decoys attempted to purchase tobacco products from the 16 businesses. Two of the 16 locations did not request identification and sold nicotine products to the underage decoys. The suspect(s) who completed the sales of tobacco to the underage decoys were cited and released at the scene for Penal Code 308(a)(1)(a)(i)-Sale of Tobacco Products to Underage Person. The employees were cited at the following locations: Prestige Smoke and Vape-579 N. Ventu Park Road #E, Newbury Park. Oak Smoke Shop-654 Lindero Canyon Road, Oak Park. Tobacco and nicotine related addictions are a prevalent and a serious problem with the youth in our community today. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Thousand Oaks Police Department are committed to the health and wellbeing of the youth in our community and will continue to proactively enforce laws prohibiting the sale of these products to people under the age of 21. If you have information about a local retailer in the city that is supplying nicotine or tobacco products to underage buyers, please report it to the Thousand Oaks Police Department at 805-494-8200. The Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) is made up of members of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. The mission of the unit is to conduct proactive policing utilizing intelligence led policing methods to reduce crime within the city of Thousand Oaks. |
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| Prepared by: | Detective Mackenzie Spears | ||||
| News Release Date: | May 17, 2022 |
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| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Detective Mackenzie Spears [email protected] (805) 947-8283 |
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| Approved by: Booking Photo Release: |
Captain Dean Cook YES NO |
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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).
Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511