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).
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Media Release: Minor Decoy Operation
| Nature of Incident: | Minor Decoy Operation | ||||
| Location: | City of Thousand Oaks |
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| Date: | October 27, 2026 | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU), California Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Control (ABC) |
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
| CVS Pharmacy Newbury Park Walmart Neighborhood Market Newbury Park Bottle and Pint Bar Newbury Park Tarantula Hill Brewing Co Thousand Oaks Narrative: On October 27, 2026, Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) detectives worked together with agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) on a minor decoy operation in the city of Thousand Oaks. A person under the age of 21 years old was used as a decoy to enter licensed establishments with the intent of purchasing alcoholic beverages. The decoy attempting to make the illegal purchase of alcohol, is dressed conservatively, provides identification when asked and makes no attempts to mislead the seller. All questions asked by the seller to the decoy are also answered honestly. The decoy is supervised by deputies from DEU and ABC during the entire process. During the minor decoy operation, 17 licensed establishments were investigated to determine compliance with laws prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors. Of the 17 establishments, four sold alcoholic beverages to the minor decoy. Following each sale, ABC agents contacted the responsible employee and issued a citation for violating California Business and Professions Code § 25658(a) – Furnishing Alcoholic Beverages to a Minor. In addition, ABC may take administrative action against the license of the business where alcohol was sold to a minor. Administrative actions may include fines, suspensions, or the permanent revocation of the license. To deter underage drinking, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has implemented two programs to combat this from occurring; Minor Decoy and Shoulder-Tap. These programs have steadily decreased the accessibility of minors obtaining alcohol from both licensed premises and the public. DEU will continue to work with ABC and other organizations to educate and enforce underage alcohol sales. Anyone who knows of establishments who sells alcohol beverages to minors can call the sheriff’s office at (805) 371-8338. People who call can remain anonymous. |
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| Prepared by: | Senior Deputy Greg Chisari |
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| News Release Date: | 10/28/26 |
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| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Detective George Delgado |
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| Approved by: Booking Photo Release: |
Captain James Sullivan YES NO X |
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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).
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511