Receive alerts from your local agencies
...or text your ZIP CODE to 888777 for mobile alerts

Full Notification

Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Tuesday October 1st, 2019 :: 07:50 p.m. PDT

Community

Fillmore - Vehicle Theft / Hit and Run Suspects Arrested

Nature of Incident: Vehicle Theft /  Hit and Run Suspects Arrested
Report Number: 19-147331
Location: 400 Block of Main Street, Fillmore
Date & Time: 09/30/19  7:10 am
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Patrol and Fillmore Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent
 

City of Residence

Age
 
(A-1) Armando Alvarado
 
(A-2) Juvenile
 
Thousand Oaks
 
Thousand Oaks
 
18
 
14
 
Narrative:
NARRATIVE:
 
Two Thousand Oaks teenagers were arrested after they stole a commercial truck and crashed it in the city of Fillmore.  
 
On 09/18/19, deputies responded to a vehicle theft in the 400 block of Main Street in Fillmore.  Deputies learned that two male subjects entered the victim’s truck and sped away.  The suspects proceeded to a nearby dirt lot where the victim attempted to confront the thieves.  The owner of the truck grabbed onto the vehicle, but the driver accelerated.  In doing so, the suspect nearly ran over the victim.  The suspects were able to elude the victim and accelerated onto a nearby street where they lost control of the truck and collided with a parked car. 
 
Several witnesses provided information concerning the vehicle theft.  In addition, one witness was able to capture the event on a cellphone camera.  The witness observed the suspects as they drove throughout the city.  During the theft, the suspects lost control of the truck and crashed into a drainage canal near Ventura Street and Los Serenos Drive in Fillmore.  Once the vehicle came to rest, the subjects exited and ran away from the scene.   Multiple witnesses utilized their cellphone cameras to video various aspects of the crime, but at the time, deputies were unable to locate the suspects.
 
Investigators were able to identify the suspects by way of the images provided by several witnesses.  This led to the identification of Armando Alvarado and a juvenile.  Detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspects’ residence.  The search warrant uncovered additional evidence linking Alvarado and the juvenile to the crime. 
 
Alvarado was booked at the Pre Trial Detention Facility for the following charges:
 
VC 10851 (a)- Unlawful taking of a vehicle
VC 20002 (a)- Hit-run driving
PC 245 (a)(1)- Assault with a deadly weapon
 
The juvenile was booked at the Ventura County Juvenile Hall Facility for the following charges:    
 
VC 10851 (a)- Unlawful taking of a vehicle
VC 20002 (a)- Hit-run driving
 
In this instance and with several other automobiles stolen in Fillmore this year, keys were left in vehicles, enabling the suspects to steal the vehicles with ease.  The Fillmore Police Department would like to remind residents of Fillmore that crimes of opportunity exist because criminals choose targets that offer high reward with little resistance.  Residents are reminded that the easiest way to avoid becoming a victim of this crime is to never leave ignition keys in your vehicles.
 
 
Prepared by: Sergeant Vince Alvarez  
News Release Date: October 1, 2019  
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Bill Meixner
(805) 947-9128
 
 
Approved by:
 
 
Booking Photo Release:
Captain Eric Tennessen
 
 
YES     NO  
 
           
 
 

Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511

Navigate & Discover