On November 3rd at approximately 7:40pm, Simi Valley Police officers were dispatched to Walmart at 255 E. Cochran St. regarding a theft that had just occurred. A witness reported seeing two subjects break a display case and steal several power tools. When loss prevention staff attempted to detain the subjects, the suspects threatened them and brandished a baton before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Officers located the suspect vehicle, which was towing a travel trailer, at the ARCO gas station at Madera Road and Los Angeles Avenue. When officers contacted the suspects, one was detained without incident. The second suspect barricaded himself inside the trailer and refused to come out.
Additional resources were requested, and roads in the immediate area were temporarily closed while officers developed a tactical plan and worked to get the suspect to surrender. At 9:06 p.m., the second suspect exited the trailer and was taken into custody.
All of the stolen property was recovered. Hernan Zepeda and Enrique Reyez, both residents of Palmdale, were arrested for conspiracy and theft. Reyez was also charged with resisting arrest. Both suspects were booked at Ventura County jail.
