3 Arrested in String of Car Burglaries

Police arrested three Oxnard men on suspicion of breaking into at least six vehicles early Wednesday around the area of Glenwood Drive and Ventura Boulevard.

Oxnard police took Adan Lopez and Michael S. Branch, both 18, and Antonio Polo, 20, into custody along with property found in a black Ford Escort about 4 a.m.

Officers originally received a call at 1:30 a.m. about an auto burglary in the 400 block of Devonshire Drive and took a description of the vehicle and suspects.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department also received a call about a burglary in that area with suspects of similar description.

A short time later, Oxnard Officer Steve Moore spotted a vehicle matching the description in the area of Glenwood Drive and Ventura Boulevard with a passenger hanging out the car’s door attempting to open the doors of parked cars as they drove by.

When Moore pulled the car over, he noticed that Lopez, Branch and Polo matched the description an auto burglary victim had given police earlier.

In the car, Moore found property believed to be stolen and belonging to about half a dozen people. After officers contacted a person whose property was recovered and who confirmed their car had been burglarized, Lopez, Branch and Polo were taken into custody on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property.

Oxnard officers, along with sheriff’s deputies, are attempting to locate other victims based on the property recovered.