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OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE
| INCIDENT: | Undercover Theft Operation Vons/Pavillions |
| DATE/TIME: | 12/23/16 1200-2200 hours |
| LOCATION: | Vons Grocery Store Ventura Road and Fifth Street |
| VICTIM(S): | Vons/Pavillions |
| SUSPECT(S): | Robert Jimenez, age 64 Oxnard resident.
Vincent Munoz, age 48 Oxnard resident. Enrique Hernandez, age 48, Oxnard resident. Brittany Hedge, age 22 Oxnard resident. Jordan Hernandez, age 27 Oxnard resident. Isaiah Magallon, age 18 Oxnard resident. 16 year old Juvenile, Oxnard resident 17 year old Juvenile, Oxnard resident |
| PREPARED BY: | Sergeant Jeff McGreevy, Neighborhood Policing Team Supervisor |
| CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO: | Sergeant Jeff McGreevy, Jeffrey.mcgreevy@oxnardpd.org |
DETAILS:
The Oxnard Police Department conducted three undercover operations in partnership with Vons / Pavilions loss prevention agents which resulted in 24 arrests over the course of the three separate enforcement operations.
On Friday December 16th, the Seabridge Vons had a $1000.00 theft from one person who ran out with a full cart of merchandise. On Friday December 23, a suspect stole $1000.00 worth of merchandise just one hour before our team arrived at the Ventura Road Vons. Unfortunately incidents like this occur in our city each and every week at the major retail stores. These Incidents are a significant monetary loss to the businesses and are exactly why we are partnering with the business community to reduce overall crime.
Members of the Oxnard Police Department Neighborhood Policing Team (NPT) have been working directly with the loss prevention agents at the Oxnard Vons stores. Typically what will happen is the loss prevention agents will look for persons who have concealed merchandise within the store or people that they suspect are attempting to conceal merchandise with the store. They will communicate the information to police officers that are working with them inside and outside the store. The police officers are positioned in the camera rooms of the store and covertly positioned outside in the parking lot of the store to intercept the suspects immediately as they leave with stolen merchandise. This activity has been very successful and it has resulted in not only the recovery of stolen merchandise from the stores, but it has also led to arrests for persons having active arrest warrants, carrying illegal weapons and possession of narcotics. During one of the operations additional stolen merchandise was found from a different retail store inside of the suspect vehicle during a subsequent search.
The undercover operations took place at three separate Vons grocery stores within the city. The first was conducted in October at two of the stores resulting in eleven arrests for theft of merchandise. Our second operation was done on 12/16/16 at the Vons in the Shopping at the Rose resulting in five arrests. Our third was done on 12/23/16 at the Vons on Ventura Road and Fifth Street resulting in eight arrests.
There were six adults and two juveniles arrested during the 12/23/16 operation, all six adults were booked into the Ventura County Jail for theft. The two minors were released to parents. The adults arrested are:
Robert Jimenez, age 64 Oxnard resident.
Vincent Munoz, age 48 Oxnard resident.
Enrique Hernandez, age 48, Oxnard resident.
Brittany Hedge, age 22 Oxnard resident.
Jordan Hernandez, age 27 Oxnard resident.
Isaiah Magallon, age 18 Oxnard resident.
The Neighborhood policing team will be working with not only Vons/Pavilions but several other major retail businesses within the city in 2017. Theft from retail stores account for significant losses each year. It also results in a high number of calls for police service to each of these locations because there are so many shoplifting suspects arrested by the loss prevention agents. Our goal is to try and work with these retailers and reduce the amount of theft they experience and also reduce the police calls for service.
The Oxnard Police Department Neighborhood Policing Team is committed to reducing theft and forging close partnerships with our community stakeholders. Police Officers will be working undercover at Vons regularly in 2017 and we believe we will have a significant impact reducing theft. We want people to think twice before they steal from these stores because you never know when a police officer will be waiting by the front doors.
The Oxnard Police Department Neighborhood Policing Team (NPT) was formed in June 2016 and has 20 officers assigned. The NPT focuses on crime and quality of life issues at the neighborhood level with a focus on Community Policing and Problem Solving.
DATE / TIME PREPARED:
12-24-16/1600 hours