LA County Residents Arrested in Ventura County’s ‘Return to Sender’ UPS Cargo Theft Operation

Five residents of Los Angeles County were arrested for their connection to a series of UPS cargo thefts in Ventura County, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office announced on December 8, 2025. 

Between April and October 2025, several cities in Ventura County reported UPS cargo thefts from UPS delivery vehicles, the sheriff’s office said in the statement. 

The total loss to UPS was $70,000, according to the statement. 

During the investigation, the Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force Detectives (VCORTTF) identified the suspects as residents of Los Angeles County. This prompted the authorities to expand the operation’s scope and coordinate with agencies from other jurisdictions. 

On November 14, 2025, VCORTTF investigators, assisted by the Simi Valley Police Department, District Attorney’s Investigators Office, Thousand Oaks Police Special Enforcement Unit, and Directed Enforcement Units, carried out the ‘Return to Sender’ operation. 

Operation “Return to Sender” – Organized Retail Theft Task Force arrests Los Angeles County Residents after UPS Cargo https://t.co/G752LliIlz

— Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) December 9, 2025

As part of the operation, the investigators executed warrants at three locations in Los Angeles and arrested three suspects, the statement said. 

Through additional surveillance, two more suspects were identified and subsequently arrested, bringing the total to five.  

The five suspects include Herson Danilo Gutierrez-Ferrufino (36), Chris Justin Ortiz (24), Alejandro Andres Delgado-Mera (37), Leivin Giovanny Vera Diaz (39), and Ever Lisandro Lopez (38), according to the statement.  

All of them have been charged with felony counts under 487(a) PC (grand theft), 182(a) (1) (conspiracy to commit a crime), and 466 PC (possession of burglary tools). 

The five suspects are in custody in the Ventura County Jail on unrelated charges, authorities said.

More suspects are outstanding, and further arrests are expected, the sheriff’s office said. 

The VCORTTF was created after the sheriff’s office secured grant funding under the California Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program.  

Overseen by the sheriff’s office, the program involves all law enforcement agencies in Ventura County to prevent and combat losses totaling $10 million annually from organized retail theft, vehicle or vehicle parts theft, and cargo theft, according to the statement. 

The task force consists of detectives from several Ventura County agencies and works with retailers, law enforcement agencies, and the public to identify, locate, and arrest those involved in such crimes. 

The sheriff’s office urged anyone with information related to organized retail theft, vehicle or vehicle parts theft, or cargo theft to call the task force’s recorded line at (805) 383-8703 or by calling the Crime Stoppers Tip Line (800) 222-TIPS (8477). 

Tips can be submitted anonymously and shared on www.theftcrackdownvc.org.