Suspect Arrested in Theft of Luxury Cars

One man is in custody and another is still on the loose following the theft of two sports cars from a Camarillo auto dealership, authorities said.

The cars, silver and black BMW M3s valued at $42,000 each, were taken shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday from Steve Thomas BMW, 411 E. Daily Drive.

One of the suspects, 19-year-old Jason Roache of Long Beach, was arrested about 10:30 p.m. in a Thousand Oaks coffee shop, according to Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Lathrop. Roache is believed to be the suspect who led deputies on a brief chase before abandoning the car near The Oaks mall and disappearing into a storm drain, authorities said.

Roache was arrested without incident on suspicion of felony auto theft.

Dealership owner Steve Thomas said the suspects visited the lot about 3 p.m. “They came in about two hours [prior to the theft] to case the place. When the salesmen were busy they were able to get to the lockboxes holding the keys,” Thomas said.

As the suspects drove south on the Ventura Freeway, a deputy spotted the black car near Borchard Road in Thousand Oaks and gave pursuit. When the suspect got off at Lynn Road heading north, a second deputy was waiting. The suspect dumped the car near Hillcrest Drive and Marin Street and ran.

The second driver got away.

In 1993, thieves pulled off a similar theft, and the car was recovered a year later in Louisiana, Thomas said. It had been driven 13,000 miles and still had the paper dealer license plates attached.

Thomas said the black car had some minor damage--nothing compared to the M3 that was rolled by a customer during a test drive. That car had to be sold as used.