NEWS RELEASE
INCIDENT: |
Theft Operation at Local Supermarkets
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DATE/TIME: |
9/7/17; 1400-2100 hours
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LOCATION: |
Vons Grocery 450 S. Ventura Road Vons Grocery 1291 S. Victoria Ave. |
VICTIM(S): |
Vons Grocery
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SUSPECT(S): |
Five Oxnard residents
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PREPARED BY: |
Jeff McGreevy, Sergeant Neighborhood Policing Team Supervisor Jeffrey.mcgreevy@Oxnardpd.org 805-385-7746 |
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO: | Jeff McGreevy, Sergeant
Neighborhood Policing Team Supervisor Jeffrey.mcgreevy@Oxnardpd.org 805-385-7746 |
DETAILS
The Oxnard Police Department Neighborhood Policing Team conducted a theft operation in partnership with Vons Grocery Stores at two locations in Oxnard. The operations were conducted simultaneously at the Vons near Ventura Road and 5th Street and Vons in the Seabridge shopping center near Victoria and Wooley Road. These stores have historically been “hot spots” for theft and other nuisance type activity in recent years that requires a police response. The Oxnard Police Department has partnered with several retail stores like Vons and conducted extensive Crime Prevention inspections of several retailers to give merchants tips and tools to reduce crime in and around their stores.
On Thursday afternoon several officers from the Neighborhood Policing Team and a Detective from our Property Crimes Unit conducted a plain clothes theft operation with Vons loss prevention agents. The store loss prevention agents are in direct contact with police officers who are stationed inside and outside the store. When they observe a theft the police officers are signaled and detain suspects outside after they exit the store without paying for merchandise.
Today’s operation resulted in five arrests for theft. Many times the theft arrest uncovers additional crimes that the individual has committed. An example of this was during one of the theft investigations where an officer found that the suspect had a false driver license and a second driver license that he had stolen from someone. This resulted in an additional felony arrest charge. The other additional charges were a resisting arrest and outstanding arrest warrants.
During the undercover surveillance a man was observed concealing items in his backpack and as he walked towards the front door our officers got into position to arrest him. As he neared the door he stopped and took the items out of his backpack and put them back. We were curious why he changed his mind about stealing so our officers spoke with him and he told us that he changed his mind because of a large sign that is near the front door. Just as he was going to leave the saw a life size photo of an Oxnard Police officer holding a warning about shoplifters being prosecuted by this store. He saw the image of the police officer and decided it wasn’t worth it and put the stuff back. He made the right choice because three officers were waiting for him outside the door and he would have been arrested and booking into county jail for crimes had he not made the right decision to return the items. We were very happy to see that our efforts are having in impact and at least in this case, a lesson was learned. You never know when security or the police are monitoring the store and working together.
The Oxnard Police Department will continue to work with our retail partners towards reducing shoplifting crimes and helping them with crime prevention education resources. We ask our community members to think twice before you steal from a store in Oxnard, you never know when you will be greeted outside by an Oxnard Police Officer who is waiting for you.
DATE / TIME PREPARED: 09/7/2017; 2150 hours