Two juvenile males, aged 17, from Camarillo and Oxnard have been collared in a sweeping investigation into gang-related graffiti that marred the city streets with their tags - slaps in the face to law-abiding taxpayers who are now footing the expensive cleanup bill, senior deputies reported. The investigation, flagged by vigilant Camarillo Patrol Services, was spearheaded by the city's Special Enforcement Unit and led to the arrest of the duo following search warrants carried out at their homes, where detectives bagged evidence tying them to the vandalism.
The first collar occurred on February 8, after detectives served the warrant at a residence on the 2300 Block of San Ysidro Street in Camarillo, where they found evidence of graffiti and took one of the young suspects into custody. The second lad managed to skirt the lawmen initially, but a follow-up warrant on February 16 at an Oxnard address on the 2600 Block of Wagon Wheel Road revealed further evidence, although the suspect, at that moment, was MIA, then detectives, continuing the dragnet, pounced on the second juvenile February 20 in Oxnard and booked him, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
The suspects, who are not named due to their juvenile status, are accused of felony vandalism and conspiracy to commit a crime and are set to face justice at the Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center, as reported in the sheriff's department release. They've since been released, pending future court appearances, while the damage they caused has already siphoned thousands of dollars from the city’s coffers—money that could have been channeled toward "more beneficial programs," as per the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office took a moment to commend the public for their critical eagle eyes and timely tip-offs that bolster the city’s defenses against crime waves, and the enforcement team’s success reflects the sound foundation of community partnership.
