Gallery owner arrested after filing police report

Mary A. Castillo

The Laguna Beach Police Department received a burglary call that

quickly involved the Newport Beach Police Department and uncovered a

scheme to fool police.

Sunday night police received a call from Kenneth Uranga, owner of

Gallery One on North Coast Highway reporting that he caught Ruben

Oliveras in the act of stealing jewelry at the gallery.

“He told us that he had just went to the gallery to do some work and

found the front door open and his former employee stuffing jewelry in his

pockets,” said Sgt. Guy Miller.

When Uranga confronted him, Oliveras reportedly took off in a white

Toyota Camry heading north on Coast Highway.

After the police received Uranga’s call they sent out a countywide

broadcast, said Miller. Several Newport Beach officers conducted a felony

car stop at Pacific Coast Highway and MacArthur Boulevard within 10

minutes of receiving the broadcast.

At the scene Uranga identified Ruben Oliveras as the burglary suspect,

but police did not find evidence. Oliveras and his passenger were

transported to Laguna Beach. When police questioned both Oliveras and

Uranga, their stories about what happened at the store were not making in

sense, said Miller.

Police brought in the manager who had been at the store when the

incident occurred.

The manager told police that Uranga owed Oliveras back pay and had

called him to come down to the store where he would pay him. When

Oliveras arrived, Uranga accused him of stealing during his employment.

Oliveras left the store threatening to sue his former employer and

according to the manager, Uranga decided that he would tell police that

they saw him stealing.

“We walked in and told Mr. Uranga that we talked to his manager and

she told us the whole story,” recalled Miller. “After we read him his

rights he chose not to speak to us and wanted an attorney.”

Uranga was arrested for suspicion of filing a false police report and

transported to the Orange County Jail. The case is currently under review

at the district attorney’s office. However this is not the first time

Uranga has had dealings with Laguna police. In June 2000 he was arrested

for battery upon a custodial officer. He plead guilty and was sentenced

to community service and to pay state restitution.

Oliveras was arrested on an outstanding Harbor Court warrant for

possession of a prescription drug without a prescription. The other

passenger was released.