A Fillmore man with a taste for illegal avocados has found himself in the pits again after a sting operation by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and the local farming community. Jose Antonio Rosales Hernandez, 32, was busted Wednesday morning on the 100 block of A Street in Fillmore linked to an attempted theft of the green fruit on April 15.
According to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Hernandez had been on the radar of local law enforcement for previous convictions of agricultural theft. During a routine check due to his current probation terms, patrol deputies found methamphetamine in his possession, establishing probable cause connecting him to the recently attempted avocado heist.
The initial tip-off came when a vigilant farm owner noticed avocados pre-staged for theft on his property, a move out of sync with normal operations. Filling a report with local law enforcement prevented the theft and kick-started the investigation that led to Hernandez's door. "Empowering the agricultural community as our eyes and ears has contributed to the identification and apprehension of a repeat offender of agricultural theft," the Fillmhttps://nixle.us/FG99Zore Investigations Bureau stated.
As a result of the search, Hernandez was arrested and later charged with violation of Health & Safety Code § 11377 (a) – Possession of a Controlled Substance and Penal Code § 664/487(b)(1)(A) – Attempted Grand Theft of Vegetables and Fruit. The suspect is currently cooling his heels at the Ventura County Main Jail.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is promoting the "Farm Watch," a partnership with the local agricultural sector to ward off crimes like these. The initiative is akin to a neighborhood watch but tailored for the farming community, keeping stakeholders informed on crime trends and evidence preservation methods.
Community participation remains a cornerstone of this fight against agricultural crimes, with the Sheriff's Office urging locals to stay engaged through social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and Nixle alerts. "Join us in the fight on crime by following us," encouraged the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
