Simi Valley rooftops briefly turned into a police chase route on May 5, 2026, when officers arrested a man after what they describe as a roughly 30 minute pursuit across homes near Calle La Sombra and Via Alegre. Neighbors had called police to report a suspicious person peering into parked vehicles, and officers say the man ran through the neighborhood, climbed onto residential roofs and finally surrendered on a rooftop in the 5800 block of Fearing Street. Police reported no injuries, and an initial sweep did not immediately turn up any signs that homes or cars had been burglarized.
How Officers Tracked And Contained The Suspect
According to a post by the Simi Valley Police Department, dispatchers started getting calls around 9:00 a.m. about a man in the Calle La Sombra and Via Alegre area who appeared to be looking into vehicles. Callers reported that he was wearing what looked like an Amazon uniform vest, along with a face mask and gloves, and was carrying a large backpack.
An officer soon spotted someone matching that description, police say, and the man took off on foot, cutting into a nearby residential area. Witnesses and officers then saw him climbing onto multiple rooftops as he tried to get away. The department says officers set up a perimeter around the block, kept eyes on the suspect and began talking with him from the ground. After about half an hour of back and forth, the man surrendered on a roof without further incident, according to the department.
What Reports And Booking Records Say
Local coverage of the incident reports that officers also deployed a drone to help track the man on the rooftops and safely contain the situation, and that a search of the neighborhood did not immediately reveal any burglarized vehicles or homes, as reported by AOL. The suspect was identified as Jaroslav Hriancik and was transported to the Ventura County Pre Trial Detention Center.
According to that reporting, Hriancik was booked on suspicion of resisting a peace officer, on an outstanding felony warrant and on a post release community supervision hold. Any formal charges will ultimately come from prosecutors.
Legal Notes
The Simi Valley Police Department notes in its post that the outstanding felony warrant and alleged resistance to a peace officer were the immediate reasons for the arrest. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office will review the case and determine what formal charges, if any, are filed.
Police say the suspect was taken to the Ventura County jail for booking and processing, and the department publicly thanked the neighbors whose calls about suspicious activity kicked off the response.
Neighbor Tips And Next Steps
Officials are using the rooftop case as a reminder to residents to call police when something feels off in the neighborhood. The department lists its non emergency line as (805) 583-6950, and urges people to dial 911 for anything that appears urgent or dangerous.
For general guidance on neighborhood safety, local reporting points residents to resources from the City of Simi Valley, which offers information on crime prevention, community policing programs and how to report concerns in the city.
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