Santa Barbara Man Arrested in Connection with Ventura County Residential Burglary

A 40-year-old Santa Barbara man was arrested Thursday morning in connection with a residential burglary that occurred in unincorporated Ventura County last month, authorities announced.

Justin Hill was taken into custody around 8:45 a.m. on June 5 following a traffic stop in the 2000 block of State Street in Santa Barbara, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began on May 17 when deputies from the Headquarters Station responded to a reported residential burglary in the 300 block of Silver Strand Road in unincorporated Ventura County at approximately 3:10 a.m.

The victim reported that several high-value items had been stolen from the residence, including a high-end television and numerous personal belongings described as having significant sentimental value.

Patrol deputies canvassed the area and located surveillance footage capturing the suspect’s actions. The footage showed an unknown male entering and leaving the victim’s property multiple times while carrying stolen property from the residence, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Headquarters Station Detectives were assigned the case and through their investigation identified Hill as the suspect. Detectives also identified a 2010 Audi associated with Hill that matched the description of a vehicle observed during the investigation.

During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that the Santa Barbara Police Department was conducting an unrelated criminal investigation involving Hill. Headquarters Detectives coordinated with Santa Barbara police and gathered additional information relevant to the burglary case.

Based on the evidence collected, detectives obtained search warrants for Hill, his residence, and his vehicle.

On Thursday morning, Headquarters Detectives, assisted by the West County Special Enforcement Unit, located Hill driving the suspect vehicle on State Street. Detectives conducted a traffic stop pursuant to the search warrant and confirmed Hill was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Following the arrest, detectives and members of the West County Special Enforcement Unit served a search warrant at Hill’s Santa Barbara residence. During the search, investigators recovered several items reported stolen during the residential burglary.

Hill was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on a burglary charge and is being held on $50,000 bail.