Deputies assigned to the Thousand Oaks Police Department captured a male suspect after a vehicle pursuit starting in the city of Thousand Oaks and ending in the city of Camarillo. Patrol deputies and investigators linked the suspect and an accomplice to crimes that occurred in Thousand Oaks on January 20 and January 24. The second male suspect was arrested a short time later in Los Angeles while he was in possession of an additional stolen vehicle and additional stolen property. In total, 2 suspects were arrested for 12 separate crimes committed in Thousand Oaks, 4 stolen vehicles were recovered (2 from Thousand Oaks, 2 from Los Angeles County), and a large quantity of stolen property was recovered and returned to the victims.
On January 24, 2018, at approximately 0300 hours, a Thousand Oaks patrol deputy was monitoring vehicle traffic in the area of Wendy Drive and Old Conejo Road in Thousand Oaks. The deputy observed two vehicles traveling at nearly twice the posted speed limit. As the deputy caught up to the vehicles, one vehicle had stopped and parked along the curb line. The other vehicle, driven by (A) Billy Morales, continued driving at a high rate of speed. Morales turned off his vehicle’s lights and immediately accelerated at a high rate of speed. Morales continued driving at approximately 75 to 80 miles per hour while failing to stop at stop signs and at times driving in the center median. Morales entered the Northbound US 101 and reached speeds of approximately 100 and 125 miles per hour before exiting the freeway in Camarillo. Camarillo patrol deputies responded and Morales eventually surrendered in the area of Mission Oaks Boulevard and the US 101.
Morales was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura on charges of vehicle theft, evading, vehicle burglary, and vehicle tampering. In addition to the local charges, Morales also had a felony warrant out of Los Angeles County for vehicle theft, evading, and possession of another’s personal identifying information.
Thousand Oaks deputies quickly discovered the vehicle had been stolen minutes before Morales attempted to flee. Deputies responded to the Newbury Park area of Thousand Oaks where the vehicle had been stolen from. Deputies were able to determine a total of five thefts from vehicles had occurred in the immediate area of where the vehicle had been stolen. Based upon the information gathered during the investigation, deputies identified (A) Jabari Evans as the driver of the second vehicle seen prior to the pursuit and as the second suspect in the thefts. Additional information implicated the Morales and Evans in additional thefts from vehicles that had occurred during the early morning hours of January 20, 2018.
On January 26, 2018, detectives from the Thousand Oaks Police Department located Evans in Los Angeles while he was in possession of another vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Los Angeles County. Detectives searched the vehicle and located property which had been stolen from Thousand Oaks during the early morning hours of January 20 as well as January 24. Evans was arrested and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office filed two counts of vehicle theft, vehicle burglary, and grand theft (theft of over $950) on Evans.
Using information discovered during the investigation, detectives were able to locate two additional stolen vehicles, both recovered in the Los Angeles area. The first was stolen from Thousand Oaks on January 20. Detectives recovered the vehicle and located additional stolen property and evidence linking Morales to the vehicle theft and additional thefts from vehicles. The second vehicle was stolen from the Los Angeles area and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department recovered the vehicle.
On February 13, 2018, Morales was supplementally booked for addition charges of vehicle theft, grand theft, and four counts of petty theft (theft of less than $950).
The Thousand Oaks Police Department would like to remind residents to lock their vehicles and to not keep items of value inside their vehicles. Please report any suspicious activity to Sheriff’s Dispatch immediately.
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