Fingerprints Point to Air-Bag Theft Operation

Police say they have identified a prolific air-bag theft ring responsible for dozens, if not hundreds, of car break-ins in the San Fernando Valley this year by using an old standard investigative tool: fingerprints.

Byron Arreaza, 28, of North Hollywood and Douglas Mejia, 31, of Van Nuys were easily identified by the fingerprints they left behind on the cars, police said. Each has a criminal record and was charged with car burglary last week, according to LAPD Dets. Kenneth Belt and Cheryl Adams.

Authorities say the case highlights how easily burglars can be caught if more victims have their vehicles checked for fingerprints.

Victims of break-ins usually don’t have their cars dusted for fingerprints, because it’s inconvenient, police said. They either have to make arrangements to be home when a fingerprint technician can show up or take their car to a police station. Most people just want to have their cars fixed and get on with their lives, Belt said.

“I know more people would have it done if they thought that it would help--and the thing is it would,” Belt said. “These are criminal experts. This is their primary occupation.”

Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Auto Theft Task Force said that, of the roughly 200 air-bag thefts reported in the Valley in the first six months of the year, only 10 victims had their cars dusted for fingerprints.

Air-bag thefts have plummeted to an average of one a week since Arreaza’s arrest nearly four weeks ago, from as many as six or seven on many nights, detectives said.

Belt said, when air-bag theft rings are working in the Valley, as many as 1,500 air bags are stolen in a year. When they aren’t, only about 50 break-ins are reported.

The thieves sell the air bags to disreputable body shops and auto dismantlers for a few hundred dollars. New air bags cost as much as $1,000.

The crime was first reported in the early 1990s when the bags were installed in high-end cars. It became a significant problem in 1994, when dual air-bag systems became common.

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Arreaza was charged with auto burglary Tuesday. Mejia was charged with auto burglary and an arrest warrant was issued Wednesday, but authorities have been unable to find him since Arreaza was arrested in July. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Auto Theft Task Force at (818) 756-8138.

Belt said Arreaza and Mejia started in January breaking into cars in North Hollywood, Mission Hills and Van Nuys to steal air bags.

He said police set up surveillance teams and increased patrols but had no luck. None of the break-in victims had a car dusted for prints until June.

Belt said the prints from four break-ins in July also pointed to Arreaza and Mejia.

Mejia was arrested in mid-July on suspicion of possessing stolen property and released after posting bail. Six hours later, he allegedly broke into two cars in Van Nuys.

“We had an idea who it was, but we had to wait on that first good break, and that was the first print that came through,” Belt said.

Detectives said Arreaza and Mejia’s prior arrests involve burglary, narcotics and auto theft. The criminal cases have resulted in Arreaza’s deportation to Mexico twice, Belt said.