Community
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $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).
Moorpark Police Department Arrests Mail Theft Suspect
| Nature of Incident: | Moorpark Police Department Arrests Mail Theft Suspect |
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| Report Number: | 26-81596 | ||||
| Location: | 44000 Blk 11th Street East, City of Lancaster, CA | ||||
| Date & Time: | 08/21/2026 07:10 AM | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Moorpark Investigations Unit Moorpark Special Enforcement Unit Moorpark Patrol Services Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit United States Postal Service |
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
| (S) Austin Smith |
Lancaster, CA |
32 |
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| Narrative: |
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| On 06/26/2026, deputies assigned to the Moorpark Police Department patrol services responded to a call for service of two community mailboxes that had been vandalized and the mail within had been stolen. After this incident, deputies responded to several other mailboxes throughout the City of Moorpark that had been accessed and mail along with packages were stolen. The case was investigated by detectives with the Moorpark Investigations Unit and the United States Postal Service. Detectives were able to utilize law enforcement databases as well as the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) to identify a vehicle associated with the mail thefts. After identifying the vehicle, detectives were able to confirm the vehicle’s connection through video surveillance collected from residents. After a thorough investigation, Austin Smith was identified as the individual responsible. During the investigation, it was discovered Smith resided in the 4400 Blk of 11th Street East in the City of Lancaster. On 08/21/2026, Smith was located in the City of Lancaster where he was taken into custody. That same day, a residential search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. During the search of the residence, detectives located and recovered stolen mail from residents in Moorpark and other parts of Ventura County. Detectives also located evidence connecting Smith to the original mailbox vandalisms that occurred on 06/26/2026. Ultimately, Smith was arrested for several counts of Penal Code 594(b)(1)- Vandalism over $400, Penal Code 530.5(c)(2), Penal Code 476- Manufacturing Fraudulent Checks, and Penal Code 530.5(e)- Mail Theft. Smith remains in custody with a bail set at $200,000. The Moorpark Police would like to thank the citizens and businesses throughout Moorpark for their assistance. With the collaboration and trust from the public, crimes continue to be solved, allowing the judicial system to hold those responsible accountable for the crimes. Join us in the fight on crime by following us on X @VENTURASHERIFF, Facebook, Instagram @ VCSHERIFF, and with Nixle by texting your zip code to 888777 to receive local law enforcement and public safety alerts and advisories. |
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| Prepared by: | Detective Tamara Petersen | ||||
| News Release Date: | 08/26/2026 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Detective Tamara Petersen 805-532-2715 [email protected] |
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| Approved by: Booking Photo Release: |
Captain Nick Odenath YES NO |
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Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $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