A citizen witnessed the men enter the property and reported it to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. A responding deputy saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. The vehicle sped away and crashed into a fence in a residential neighborhood south of Janss Road, according to the sheriff's department.
At least two men fled the vehicle on foot. After several hours of searching by deputies, K-9 units and a helicopter, two suspects were apprehended.
Deputies found a large amount of cash and a safe in the abandoned suspect vehicle. The two suspects also had large amounts of cash with them when they were arrested, according to the department.
Los Angeles residents Dominique Lewis, 24, and Thurman Sutton, 28, were both arrested on counts of commercial burglary, conspiracy, hit-and-run, felony evading and resisting arrest. Lewis was held on $80,000 bail and Sutton was held on $60,000 bail.
Authorities say the two men are affiliated with a Los Angeles-based criminal street gang and part of a crew responsible for several commercial burglaries in the Thousand Oaks area since March 16. Restaurants have been the main target, but at least one gas station was broken into. Cash registers and safes were taken in the robberies, totaling a loss of more than $30,000, the sheriff's department said.
Investigators continue to pursue leads in this case and believe the suspects and their associates are responsible for burglaries in other jurisdictions as well.
Anyone with information about the suspects or their associates is asked to contact investigators at (805)494-8201.
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
