Community
Carjacking & Burglary Suspect Arrested
Carjacking & Burglary Suspect Arrested 
On Thursday, May 23, 2024, at approximately 5:00 AM, Santa Maria Police Department officers responded to a report of a carjacking in the 1400 block of N. Depot Street. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that a carjacking had occurred involving suspects using a firearm. The suspects forced an adult female victim to relinquish possession of her car and fled the area, initially avoiding apprehension. Approximately two hours later, an unoccupied and parked vehicle was stolen from the 800 block of W. Battles Road. Detectives took over the investigation and later determined that these crimes were related. The investigation remained active and ongoing.
On Monday, June 24, 2024, at about 11:30 AM, security personnel from the Town Center East Mall contacted SMPD to report a commercial burglary involving an ATM machine that was stolen the previous evening from inside the mall near the food court. Video surveillance footage showed suspects removing the ATM from the mall at approximately 10:30 PM on Sunday, June 23, 2024. The theft resulted in a loss of several thousand dollars in cash and thousands of dollars in ATM machine costs.
As the investigations continued, Property Crimes Unit detectives working the ATM case and Violent Crimes Unit detectives handling the carjacking and stolen vehicle case determined that the same suspects were involved in both cases. Forty-one-year-old Santa Maria resident Andres Navarro was identified as one of the primary suspects.
An arrest warrant was issued for Navarro, along with search warrants for residential locations within the City of Santa Maria. On Friday, July 5, 2024, at approximately 7:30 PM, SMPD Detectives conducted a warrant service operation in the 1000 block of W. Tunnel and the 1800 block of Barrington Drive. The search warrants yielded evidence connected to the carjacking, the stolen vehicle case, and the ATM burglary. Andres Navarro was arrested during the operation.
Navarro was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of carjacking, burglary, and possession of stolen property. He is being held on $500,000 bail.
The Detective Bureau is still seeking information related to other potential suspects. Anyone with information about these investigations is encouraged to contact Detective Brian Santiago at (805) 928-3781 ext. 1362 or Detective Eduardo Servin at (805) 928-3781 ext. 1367. SMPD’s anonymous tip line is also available 24/7 at (805) 928-3781 ext. 2677 (COPPS).
Prepared by:
Daniel Rios, Lieutenant
Detecttive Bureau Supervisor
On Monday, June 24, 2024, at about 11:30 AM, security personnel from the Town Center East Mall contacted SMPD to report a commercial burglary involving an ATM machine that was stolen the previous evening from inside the mall near the food court. Video surveillance footage showed suspects removing the ATM from the mall at approximately 10:30 PM on Sunday, June 23, 2024. The theft resulted in a loss of several thousand dollars in cash and thousands of dollars in ATM machine costs.
As the investigations continued, Property Crimes Unit detectives working the ATM case and Violent Crimes Unit detectives handling the carjacking and stolen vehicle case determined that the same suspects were involved in both cases. Forty-one-year-old Santa Maria resident Andres Navarro was identified as one of the primary suspects.
An arrest warrant was issued for Navarro, along with search warrants for residential locations within the City of Santa Maria. On Friday, July 5, 2024, at approximately 7:30 PM, SMPD Detectives conducted a warrant service operation in the 1000 block of W. Tunnel and the 1800 block of Barrington Drive. The search warrants yielded evidence connected to the carjacking, the stolen vehicle case, and the ATM burglary. Andres Navarro was arrested during the operation.
Navarro was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of carjacking, burglary, and possession of stolen property. He is being held on $500,000 bail.
The Detective Bureau is still seeking information related to other potential suspects. Anyone with information about these investigations is encouraged to contact Detective Brian Santiago at (805) 928-3781 ext. 1362 or Detective Eduardo Servin at (805) 928-3781 ext. 1367. SMPD’s anonymous tip line is also available 24/7 at (805) 928-3781 ext. 2677 (COPPS).
Prepared by:
Daniel Rios, Lieutenant
Detecttive Bureau Supervisor
Address/Location
Santa Maria Police Department
1111 W Betteravia Rd
Santa Maria, CA 93455
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-928-3781
