Nature of Incident: Residential Burglary Suspects Arrested
Report Number: Numerous
Location: Numerous Residences in North Ranch
Date & Time: 8-14-21 @ 9:00 PM
Unit(s) Responsible:
Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit
Thousand Oaks Investigations Bureau
Orange County Sheriff’s Department Directed Enforcement Team
Newport Beach Police Department
Suspects City of Residence Age
Rodrigo Torres Marini Transient 24
Juan David Vera Mancini Transient 44
Narrative: On August 14, 2021, detectives with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office shared information about suspects involved in residential burglaries with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Directed Enforcement Team. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrested (A) Rodrigo Torres Marini and Juan David Vera Mancini after they burglarized a residence in Newport Beach.
Between June 19, 2021 and August 11, 2021, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office responded to 15 residential burglaries in the North Ranch community of Thousand Oaks. These burglaries were all committed during the late evening hours and primarily targeted residences that backed to open space or golf courses. These characteristics are consistent with residential burglaries committed by South American Theft Group (SATG) members. Detectives with the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) and Investigations Bureau investigated the burglaries and identified the suspects as SATG members who were involved in the vast majority of them. Since January 2019, detectives have identified approximately 80 residential burglaries in the Thousand Oaks and Moorpark areas that have been committed by suspected SATG members.
Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives collaborated with detectives with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, who were experiencing a similar crime trend of residential burglaries. Based on the information sharing, detectives believed the same suspects were likely committing these burglaries in North Ranch and Orange County.
On August 14, 2021, SEU detectives gained information leading them to believe the suspects were in Orange County for the purposes of committing a residential burglary. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Directed Enforcement Team (DET) responded and located the suspects in Newport Beach. DET detectives attempted to contact two suspects after a possible residential burglary that occurred in Newport Beach. However, the suspects fled in a vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. DET detectives worked with the Newport Beach Police Department to locate and arrest (A) Rodrigo Torres Marini and (A) Juan David Vera Mancini, who were located near the end of the pursuit. Torres Marini and Vera Mancini are still in custody with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department with bails set at $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively.
SEU detectives recognized Torres Marini from a prior arrest that occurred on January 31, 2021. SEU detectives arrested Torres Marini for committing a vehicle burglary in Thousand Oaks and subsequently attempted to use the victim’s credit card at a Best Buy. Torres Marini’s true identity was determined to be Brian Patricio Valenzuela Molina and he was determined to be a Chilean National who had recently arrived in the country via the VISA Waiver Program. Torres Marini was convicted for that offense, served a jail sentence, and was released from custody in April.
Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate Torres Marini’s and Vera Mancini’s involvement in the North Ranch residential burglaries. Detectives have gathered evidence linking them to the vast majority of the 15 burglaries and will present their investigation to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for filing considerations at the conclusion of the investigation.
Prepared by: Sergeant Greg Gibson
News Release Date: 9-14-21
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Richard Lasecla 805-797-6357 [email protected]
Approved by: Captain Denise Sliva
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