Residents of Simi Valley may have been surprised to see police activity as a burglary unfolded, leading to two arrests. Earlier today, a Simi Valley Police Unit on patrol around 4:12 AM, took note of a suspicious vehicle parked behind closed businesses in the 5700 block of E. Los Angeles Avenue, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. The story took a turn when an officer spotted a suspect, crowbar in hand, bolting from the business into the maze of the complex.
The response was swift, a perimeter went up and the hunt for the suspect began in earnest. Law enforcement wasn't alone, as they called upon the hi-tech assistance of their Unmanned Ariel System Drone team to help scout for the fugitive, reportedly in a nearby fast food joint, they caught up with the initial suspect, identified as Michael Jerome Lawrence, age 29, from Los Angeles, as detailed by the Simi Valley Police Department.
During their search, officers interrogated another individual, Marcus Hobbs, 31, also hailing from Los Angeles. Hobbs was found strolling around a nearby closed business complex under the cloak of night, sans a satisfactory explanation for his presence. A further dive into surveillance footage from the crime scene — the Clean Threads Coin Laundry — revealed Hobbs had allegedly participated in the burglary, leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile, Lawrence wasn't lounging around a fast-food chain for a late-night snack. Officers discovered and arrested him, clarifying the connection between the suspects and the vehicle stashed with a stolen license plate, presumably lifted from an unassuming vehicle in a neighboring residence, the Simi Valley Police Department noted.
