On July 27, 2026, Camarillo Patrol deputies responded to a report of a theft at the Target shopping center in Camarillo. Two suspects who were unidentified at the time exited the store with a shopping cart full of unpaid merchandise and fled the scene in a vehicle before deputies arrived. Surveillance footage captured the suspects’ physical descriptions along with the vehicle used in the commission of the crime. Detectives assumed the investigation and entered the vehicle’s license plate into the Sheriff’s Office Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system hotlist feature. The hotlist feature triggers an instant real-time alert notifying law enforcement when a vehicle is captured by an ALPR camera.
On August 21, 2026, detectives received an ALPR alert that the same suspect vehicle from the prior Target theft had returned to the same Target shopping center in Camarillo. Detectives coordinated with Loss Prevention and confirmed that the same suspects had reentered the store, committed additional thefts, and fled. The information was relayed to Camarillo Patrol deputies, who then conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle as it fled the area and took (S) John Sobodash and (S) Helen Sobodash into custody. (S) John Sobodash and (S) Helen Sobodash were then positively identified as the suspects from the July 27 theft.
Detectives responded to the scene to assist. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately $1,500 in stolen miscellaneous merchandise, a small quantity of crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Based on the quantity and nature of the stolen items, detectives concluded that the suspects were stealing the merchandise for the purpose of resale.
John Sobodash was arrested and booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of 490.4 PC - Organized Retail Theft, 487 PC - Grand Theft, 182 PC - Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, 459.5 PC- Shoplifting, 11350 HS- Possession of a Controlled Substance, and 11364 HS- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on $20,000 bail.
Helen Sobodash was arrested and booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of 490.4 PC - Organized Retail Theft, 487 PC - Grand Theft, 182 PC - Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, and 459.5 PC- Shoplifting on $20,000 bail.
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