Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
On February 5, 2021, a subject stole a bicycle from the side yard of a residence in the 3700 block of San Remo. The owner of the bicycle provided the police with surveillance video of the incident. On the same day, the Santa Barbara Police Department received a report of a person who stole a package from a residence in the 3700 block of Lincolnwood Dr. That resident also had surveillance video of the suspect. Santa Barbara Police Detectives reviewed both cases and determined that the same suspect committed both thefts. Detectives and Officers recognized the suspect as Juan Carlos Cerna, a 26 year old Isla Vista resident. Cerna is on parole for burglary.
On February 17, 2021 SBPD Detectives, with the assistance of a Parole Agent, located and arrested Cerna, who was staying in the Isla Vista tent city. They arrested him for two counts of theft, two counts of prowling, and a violation of his parole. Cerna was found to be in possession of illegal brass knuckles, and was charged with a weapons violation as well.
The victims in both cases used social networking websites, such as Ring Neighbors, to see the crime trends in their neighborhood and recognize the mutual theft suspect. Ring Neighbors is an extension to the Ring surveillance system which allows residents to post videos of suspicious activity in their neighborhood and interface with SBPD Investigators. The use of modern “neighborhood watch” platforms help make a safer community. Please continue to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department at 805-882-8900, for any suspicious activity that is actively occurring or just occurred.
Juan Carlos Cerna (Photo: SBPD)
Build it and they will come…to steal your personal property. Lemmy guess, he’s forced to live tent city because he was priced out of the housing market. Do they screen any of these individuals for criminal histories before they give them a free homebase for criminal operations? I thought these tent cities/tiny homes were for those in need and not free hotels/camping spaces for opportunistic parasites.
His parents must be so proud ….. NOT
D8VANILLA: That exchange was funny. For everyone’s sake, let’s just hope that he wore a rubber.
Wow, take that tour of his Facebook photos and tell me a social worker is going to turn his life around. Oh yeah.
Two years ago here’s what he was saying on Facebook: “All you can do is push forward You can’t let No one hold you back I’m better then what people thing you can’t put me down all you want but I’m still going to Keep my head up high and Shoot for the stuff i always wanted in life and reach my goals so those who put me down and always saying I never going to be anything in life I have one thing for you thank you for putting me down you just made me stronger and you just made your self look low so I don’t wish anything bad for you guys but your the ones that are always going to stay in the same spot because your way of make your self feel better is by putting other people down but remember we are all the same and we do the same thing so thank you for that but I wish you nothing but the best for you and you guys know who this is for so have a Good day I’m going up and you still in the same place you been.”
Different times would have requested his hands. Perspective would say he’s lucky to live in Isla Vista and not Iran/Saudi Arabia.
@Rypert, we GET IT! Please stop posting the same thing over and over and over.
They didn’t really need to add it. The title of the article implies that’s the case.
LOLOL! If you guys REALLY want a laugh, you should’ve checked out the Food Not Bombs Isla Vista facebook page. It seems that one of the “caring members” from “our community” (actually, from San Luis Obispo) started a gofundme to raise money for Mr. Cerna to get a truck so he can go into the painting business. That was Sunday, February 14, 2021.
They deem him as one of “our houseless neighbors” and feel he’s been treated unfairly in life, so they set out to lift him up. The goal was $500 and they reached the goal, but honestly, I don’t believe that’s going to be enough for bail, especially for felony parole violation.
By the way, if you go on his facebook profile, on some of the comments in certain posts you’ll see mention of a stolen dog and the owner of said dog asking him to return it, that was as recent as January 12, 2021.
On his wife’s facebook page you’ll see another stolen dog comment on a post from August 30. 2020 asking for her, or them, to return the dog. Seems like we got us a couple of career thieves.
Apparently, Food Not Bombs Isla Vista FINALLY did something good, they took the gofundme for Mr. Cerna down. I wonder if the money collected has been returned to the contributors?
Seems like many saw a pattern to a path from early on. he’s going up alright… up the hill to the Santa Barbara County Jail!
Maybe not government sponsored, but definitely Food Not Bombs Isla Vista backed. They want to turn ALL of Isla Vista’s parks into “safe camping zones” for people just like Mr. Cerna and they want the community to foot the bill because after all, socialism works great!
Interesting you mention this. Local government is using CoVid-19 as an excuse for the following:
a) Keepig the “houseless neighbors” in the park in IV.
b) Not keeping criminals in jail.
It’s a recipe for disaster… or is it? I heard a story a couple of weeks ago about some people in IV that beat the daylights out of a package thief they caught stealing a package from their dwelling. Word had it he also pulled a gun on them, they disarmed him and took matters into their own hands.
My point is, if criminals are being set free to go, then law abiding citizens taking the law into their own hands will be excusable as well. Maybe that needs to start happening?
I recently heard about some folks in Isla Vista that threw a beating on a package thief and messed him up bad. I can only hope that was a lesson for the would be thug and cut his thuglife career short.
Juan Carlos Cerna is just the most recent of the fine “houseless neighbors” that Food Not Bombs Isla Vista cares more for than the actual community.
Do you all remember a fine, upstanding gentleman by the name of Loren Allen? He committed assault during an attempt to rob a woman by Haskall’s Beach. He punched her several times while trying to steal her property. The police found him hiding in the tent city in Anisq’Oyo Park. He’s not the only one.
There is also Paul Cardona who threatened a clerk with a knife while stealing merchandise from a Goleta tobacco shop. The police found him hiding in the tent city in Anisq’Oyo Park. See a pattern yet?
These are just some of the “houseless neighbors” that Food Not Bombs Isla Vista wants to keep living in OUR park… in OUR community…
Food Not Bombs Isla Vista has one goal and that is to simply destroy Isla Vista one “houseless neighbor” at a time at the expense of the community.
Agreed with that comment 100%, but “liberals” aren’t the problem most “conservatives” speak of. It’s the far wacky left, basically organizations like Food Not Bombs Isla Vista.
They “envision a world without police” and deem individuals such as mr. Cerna as good “houseless neighbors” that are entitled to make a mess of a community, while said community foots the bill to deal with their mess.
There was a time when “liberals” and “conservatives” worked together, but the sad fact to that is political extremes have dominated the political floor, thus the vast division we now see.
Put an end to the extremism, on EITHER side, move society forward to deal with the problems accordingly. I know, wishful thinking, but it has to start somewhere!
so while our community struggles with these homeless & gang problems, Salud is protecting Kangaroo parts….which are already banned in CA.
Kangaroo parts? Seriously? I wasn’t even aware thaat there’s a market for that! But yes, I do recall that CA passed a bill against those a while back. But hey, Salud’s doing it right! Focus on a meaningless cause that’s already fixed, let the real problems slip by.
CWANZY, in the tent city “community” that’s in People’s Park in Isla Vista, this kind of behavior and activity in encouraged and celebrated. Add to this the fact that there’s people willing to give this guy creedence by offering excuses for his bad choices.
Apparently, he’s the victim. What about those he stole from? Oh, that’s right, they have jobs, they pay bills, they pay taxes and don’t commit crimes, therefore, they mean nothing to those of this guy’s ilk and those who support him .
Well, if this isn’t a welcome & pleasant surprise! The better half of the dynamic duo speaks! Thank you so much for offering the given insights with those wonderful comments and such. It’s highly appreciated. So, let’s address some of your well thought out comments. Here we go!
“this young man y’all wanna talk bad about has a very good heart !”
He may have a good heart, but health ins;t the issue here, it’s criminal activity and he seems to be full of that! Let’s hope he gets over that kind of behavior before something worse happens!
“if it wasn’t for him all those people living inside of the pallet homes is because of him not cause they wanted to be there He told them all the good opportunities that “program supposably said they were gonna do “”
So why wasn’t he in that program for long? Oh, that’s right, he didn’t want to get a job and quit the drugs, two basic requirements of that program. He was in there, but they showed him the gate.
“those pics aren’t proof of nothing we’re the bike at ? Hmm exactly and honestly those packages could be his by all means”
This is THE most amusing part of your commentary! I had to wipe tears of laughter from my face after reading this! Thank you for the amusement! The pictures aren’t proof? Seriously? Those packages could’ve been his? Where’s the bike? I’m not even going to take the time to respond other than to say “repeat those words to yourself and let them sink in.”
“I could as well put a report for invading our private privacy since y’all wanna be snoopy n chismosos about stuff that everyone wanna blame him for”
I hate to tell you this, but when a person, such as Juan Carlos Cerna for example, commits a crime, they become a subject of public record and the population has every right to look into their background as to know what they’re up against. You won’t find me, or many other “chismosos” on here in the “public record” domain because, unlike Juan Carlos Cerna, we haven’t committed crimes.
” for all i know have no kids and neither does Juan so no we did not chose that “thug life” whatever you guys wanna call it over being parents so no that’ little girl is not our child !!!”
I hope this is true, not going to debate this, but I will take your word for that, simply out of compassion for a child w/ a “dad” that commits crimes.
“We’re Mexicans we work for living but y’all love to stereotype everyone who got tats , look gang related , not white , not dressed fancy !!! Y’all are the bad guys not JUANITO !”
Wait, wait, WAIT! Who on here said ANYTHING about race, ethnicity or nationality? Oh, that’s right… YOU DID! Of course, that’s a great smokescreen used by those related to a suspected party in order to deflect the fact that the suspected party DID do something illegal, such as stealing packages and bikes. You have to love the race card, so convenient when you want to defer from facts! NICE WORK! Very racist of you.
Then there’s the “tats” and the “not dressed fancy” thing in there too. So many great people that have tats and don’t dress nice in this world and want to know what they all have in common? They’re NOT criminals!
By the way, I don’t think he told you about recently getting caught stealing a bike here in Isla Vista. You better talk to your man, he’s holding out on you!
“And I got a whole lot of people who can definitely testify that Juan and I are yes indeed “house less“ and living at the park in isla vista but at least that don’t stop us from going to work everyday Yes that’s right we work in a restaurant and yes that is how we make our money”
Nobody should be ashamed of being homeless, happens to MANY good people. The only problem is Juan Carlos Cerna chooses to keep committing crimes and that’s the sad part. I’m glad you work in a restaurant, that is highly honorable work and I hope it gives you the foundation to lift yourselves out from that mess in People’s Park. Just please… DON’T COMMIT CRIMES! Oops, too late, Juan Carlos Cerna did. I guess my message applies to you here.
“#freemyhusbandjuancarloscerna”
Sorry my dear, prisoners with a parole violation are locked up until their trial for concerns that they’ll ether leave the area or go into hiding and commit more crimes in the process.
Here’s some friendly advice that I hope you heed. Stop taking advice from Food Not Bombs Isla Vista, the park is NOT your permamnent home and you’re NOT victims of anything except bad life choices.
We get it, you’re mad at the cops for arresting him, the victims of his crimes for reporting him and commenters here for sharing verbage about this pathetic situation.
Those are true signs of the “professional victime” mentality that is prevalent in the “thug life” world. Then you throw the race card in the mix for good measure. THAT speaks VOLUMES!
I’m truly sad that you’re in this situation. It truly saddens me. I walk past the tent city every day, I see the filth, squalor, activity and just have to wonder why ANYONE would choose that life.
I truly hope YOU lift yourself out of it, but all hope is lost on Jaunito, he will keep doing what he does. My guess is the high is better than living a good life, but when the high is the good life, no change can be expected.
By the way, I have to ask, did you guys ever return the stolen dog to its rightful owner? Asking for the rightful owner.
A-1613774972, sorry for my overzealous approach in getting the point across, but somebody HAS to do it. I thank you for pointing out, as you did, my overzealousness, but the frustration level is high and well, you know the reasons why.
I have to see this mess, right by my apartment, as I walk on my way to work every day and it’s disgusting. I invite you to come into Isla Vista and take a look.
The organization I’m exposing, they’ve even been taking roadtrips down to L.A. then picking up homeless and bringing them here to occupy the park so that it doesn’t get cleared out and there’s documented proof of this.
By the way, I saw there was a comment deleted that I think was a reply to you or me, it was probably derogatory, I don’t know, didn’t get to see it.
If it was directed at me, all good, no problem, if it was directed at you, rest assured, it wasn’t from me. Just wanted to make that clear.
Again, I appreciate your response and it wasn’t taken in a negative manner. I was just staying “on point” on the issue and pointing out the key contributor to the problem we’re seeing.