In the Kern County Sheriff’s Office’s on-going efforts in Data Driven Policing, the deputies at the Kern Valley Substation noticed an increase in auto theft crimes over the past three months. There were 13 auto theft crimes during the month of August, compared to eight in July and four in June.
On September 17th, 2015, the deputies at the Kern Valley Substation conducted a joint operation with the California Highway Patrol’s Kern County Auto Theft Task Force (KernCATT), the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the United States Marshall’s Service, Ridgecrest Substation, and the Kern Valley Substation to combat the auto theft problem.
During the operation, a total of 18-officers conducted saturated patrol in the communities of Lake Isabella, Bodfish, Weldon, Onyx, Wofford Heights and Kernville. The purpose was to conduct traffic/pedestrian stops on subjects who we found reasonable suspicion to stop. A stolen motorcycle was recovered in the Weldon area and the suspect was arrested for being in possession of the stolen motorcycle. During this operation a total of six people were arrested for crimes ranging from being under the influence, felony warrants for stolen vehicles and being in possession of a stolen motorcycle.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is committed to work in partnership with our communities to try and solve crime, using Data Driver Policing and any other tool at our dispense. These types of operations will continue on a regular basis if we notice crime going up.
Anyone with information regarding auto theft, or other criminal activity, in the Kern River Valley is urged to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Kern Valley Substation at (760)549-2100, or the communications center at (800)861-3110.
