MOORPARK : 5 Held in Robbery Attempt at Plant

Ventura County sheriff’s deputies arrested five Los Angeles residents on suspicion of attempting to take over and rob a Moorpark ball-bearing business Friday afternoon.

The suspects were arrested shortly after they fled OEM West Corp. at 5240 Bonsai St. following the attempted robbery at 2:45 p.m. Taken into custody on suspicion of attempted robbery, vehicle theft and false imprisonment were David Astorga, 19; Javier Gonzales, 19; Alfredo Hernandez Garcia, 35, and two juveniles who were not identified because of their age.

As many as 12 suspects drove up to the side entrance of OEM West in a van stolen from Los Angeles County, deputies said. About six of the suspects entered the business and attempted to take it over by handcuffing two employees, officials said.

But one of the employees struggled with a suspect and apparently scared the gang off before any property was taken, deputies said. No one from OEM West was injured, officials said.

A witness reported seeing the suspects abandon the van at a nearby shopping center and flee in other vehicles. Using witnesses’ descriptions, deputies found one of the vehicles and stopped it near the Ventura Freeway and Lindero Canyon Road.

An OEM employee identified one of the five occupants of the vehicle and another witness identified the car. All five were then arrested, officials said. The remaining suspects are still at large, deputies said.