Early on Saturday, two men were arrested by deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office following a reported armed robbery at a Camarillo CVS pharmacy. The crime took place around 5:12 a.m. at the CVS at 351 Carmen Drive, as detailed in a news release by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. The suspects, identified as Zaire Mclean, 24, and Jonathan Rios, 22, are both residents of Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, respectively.
According to the sheriff’s office, the quick apprehension of the duo post-robbery was due to the detailed suspect descriptions provided by an employee of the CVS store. Deputies, dispatched to the scene shortly after the robbery was reported, found two individuals matching the descriptions given near a local motel, resulting in their detainment without any physical incident. Despite the threat of violence, fortunately, the store employee was unharmed during the encounter with the suspects, whose actions led, following a short bout of freedom, to their arrest.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office, as reported, has charged Mclean and Rios with Robbery (PC 211) and Conspiracy (PC 182(a)(1)). Both suspects were booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility. The incident, while quickly resolved, serves as a stark reminder that even communities as generally safe as Camarillo are not immune to criminal activities.
In a statement by Detective Sergeant Christopher Zapata, the sheriff's office "commends the quick-thinking actions of the responding deputies." The seamless coordination and decisive response evidently resulted in the early capture and likely contributed to maintaining the low crime rates cherished by the Camarillo community. The same news release encouraged continued public vigilance and partnerships, which they credit as pivotal to their success in solving crimes.
Members of the public with information that could lead to further arrests in this case, or others, are urged to contact Ventura County Crime Stoppers. They offer up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and criminal complaint, and tipsters can remain anonymous when calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). Details on how to stay informed and involved in community safety initiatives were also included, detailing ways to follow law enforcement on social media and receive alerts through Nixle by texting a zip code to 888777.
