Four Arrested for Pharmacy Burglaries

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff

At approximately 2:30 a.m. this morning, September 12, 2017, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a burglary in progress at the Montecito Pharmacy located in the 1400 block of East Valley Road. When Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found the pharmacy had been broken into. Sheriff’s deputies with the assistance of a Sheriff’s K-9 team searched the building and surrounding area but did not locate the suspects.

A “Be on the Lookout” was sent to surrounding law enforcement agencies. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office notified the Santa Barbara County Public Safety Dispatch Center that at approximately 1:30 a.m., Ojai Rexall Drugs located in the 1100 block of Maricopa Highway in Ojai had also been burglarized.  

Sheriff’s deputies suspected the group may be headed north to commit more crimes. At approximately 4:30 a.m., a Sheriff’s deputy in Santa Ynez observed an Audi SUV enter the parking lot of the Star Drugs pharmacy located in the 3500 block of Madera Street. The vehicle then drove out of the parking lot and parked across the street in the post office parking lot. Due to the time of day and the recent pharmacy burglaries in Montecito and Ojai, the deputy made contact with the four male occupants of the vehicle.  

Sheriff’s deputies searched the vehicle and located numerous bottles of prescription pills, a yellow crow bar and clothing that matched the description of clothing worn by the suspects in the Montecito and Ojai pharmacy burglaries.

26-year-old Deandre Smith, 21-year-old Joseph Smith, 20-year-old Eddie Smith and 23-year-old Alonnje Gary, all of Long Beach, were transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail and booked on charges of commercial burglary, conspiracy, receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Joseph Smith was also booked on charges of loitering/prowling on private property. All four a re being held on $20,000 bail.

An investigation is underway to determine if the suspects are linked to similar crimes in our area and other jurisdictions. If you have any information regarding these suspects, these crimes or any other information that may assist investigators, you are asked to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office at 805-683-2724 or to leave an anonymous call 805-681-4171. You can also go to http://www.sbsheriff.org/anonymoustips.html

Edhat Staff

Written by Edhat Staff

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