2 Suspects Arrested in Burglary Spree

Police arrested two suspects in the vandalism and theft at several businesses, which are possibly linked to similar crimes committed in the area in the past month.

Responding to calls throughout the city early Thursday, police found the front windows of eight businesses smashed and the cash registers stolen. Investigation led authorities to believe the suspects were progressing eastward through the city, officials said.

According to police, an officer patrolling a shopping plaza on the east side saw a suspicious vehicle with two occupants parked in the lot. The officer stopped the vehicle after it left the parking area and arrested 39-year-old David Janson of Granada Hills, and Vickie Ross, 31, of Reseda, after finding a large amount of cash, a hammer, gloves, broken glass and possible cash register fragments in the car.

“[The vandals] broke two of our doors, pulled the cash register out of the wall, broke the front glass and a number of bar glasses,” said Josephine Katrakazos, 45, owner of Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen in Simi Valley.

The circumstances are similar to a robbery at Giovanni’s three years ago when, Katrakazos said, thieves stole a considerable sum from the register. Katrakazos said she learned her lesson the first time.

“This time they only made off with five dollars in coins,” she said.

Police said Janson and Ross are also suspected of committing nine other commercial burglaries in the past month.