| Nature of Incident: |
Pharmacy Burglary Arrest |
| Report Number: |
19-201845, 20-157523, 20-173543 |
| Location: |
Ojai Rexall Pharmacy -1125 Maricopa Highway, Ojai
Regency Medical Pharmacy - 1000 Newbury Road, Newbury Park
Lynn Oaks Pharmacy - 2220 North Lynn Road, Thousand Oaks
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| Date & Time: |
12/30/2019, 11/13/2020, 12/17/2020 |
| Unit(s) Responsible: |
Ojai Police Department Investigations, Thousand Oaks Police Department Investigations, Ventura County Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence
|
Age |
| Hector Jesus Gomez |
La Puente |
24
|
Narrative:
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On 12/30/2019, Ojai Police Department patrol deputies were dispatched to an alarm call at the Ojai Rexall Pharmacy located at 1125 Maricopa Highway in the City of Ojai. At the scene, patrol deputies discovered the business had been burglarized. Patrol staff processed the scene and collected evidence which was submitted to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS is a database which allows crime laboratories within the United States to share and compare DNA information with one another.
The Ojai Police Department Investigations Unit began an investigation and collected video evidence of the suspect during the commission of the crime. In March of 2020, Ojai Detectives learned the DNA samples collected at the scene linked the suspect to a 2015 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office Burglary Investigation and linked Hector Jesus Gomez to the Ojai Rexall Pharmacy burglary.
On 11/13/2020, Thousand Oaks Police Department patrol deputies were dispatched to an alarm call at the Lynn Oaks Pharmacy located at 2220 North Lynn Road in Thousand Oaks. During the investigation, patrol deputies discovered the business had been burglarized and prescription medication had been stolen.
On 12/17/2020, Thousand Oaks Police Department patrol deputies were dispatched to an alarm call at the Regency Medical Pharmacy located at 1000 Newbury Road in Newbury Park. At the scene, patrol deputies determined a burglary had occurred and prescription medication had been stolen.
The Thousand Oaks Police Department Investigations Unit began an investigation into both burglaries. After interviewing the victims and reviewing video evidence from both scenes, they determined the method of entry and medication targeted were the same. Over the course of several months, the Thousand Oaks Investigative Unit used a number of various investigative techniques and identified the suspect as Hector Jesus Gomez in both crimes. Through research, the Thousand Oaks Investigative Unit learned Gomez was also the suspect in the Ojai Rexall Pharmacy burglary. Detectives from the Ojai Police and Thousand Oaks Police Department’s began a collaborative investigation.
On 05/05/2021, Thousand Oaks Police Department and Ojai Police Department Detectives served a search warrant in the 600 block of Harmsworth Avenue in the City of La Puente. During the service of the search warrant, Gomez was arrested and evidence linking Gomez to the Ojai and Thousand Oaks burglaries was obtained.
Gomez was transported to the Ventura County Jail and booked for three counts of PC 459- Commercial Burglary and his bail was set at $50,000.00. Gomez later posted bail and has a scheduled arraignment date of 05/20/2021.
Thousand Oaks and Ojai Police Department Detectives filed the case with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and court proceedings are pending.
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| Prepared by: |
Detective Gunnar Dike |
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| News Release Date: |
05/18/2021 |
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| Media Follow-Up Contact: |
Detective Susan Johnsen, (805) 373-2307
[email protected]
or
Detective Gunnar Dike, (805) 477-7042
[email protected]
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Approved by:
Booking Photo Release: |
Captain Jose Rivera, Chief of Police
YES NO |
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