SIMI VALLEY : Suspected Gang Members Searched
Prompted in part by the April 1 slaying of a Simi Valley teen-ager, police Thursday conducted an early morning probation search of the homes of 12 suspected gang members.
The search did not result in any arrests but served as a warning, police said.
“It very clearly sends a message,” said Simi Valley Police Lt. Dick Thomas. “It lets them know the Police Department is watching them.”
Each of the young men searched was on probation for various convictions, some for drug and weapons violations. Terms of their probation allow police and probation officers to search their homes and pat them down for weapons without probable cause, Thomas said.
“It’s a great tool,” Thomas said.
Investigators did not find any evidence that any of the men planned to seek revenge for the shooting death of 19-year-old Armando R. Rodriguez. Victor G. Ramirez, 19, turned himself in after the noon killing and has been charged with murder.
Thomas said these probation searches are made six to eight times a year.
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