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Teen Burglary Ring Arrested In Ventura

VENTURA (CBS) — Six suspects, apparently part of a teen burglary ring, have been arrested by police for as many as 500 burglaries in the city of Ventura over the past three years.

Ventura Police announced the arrest Tuesday of Luis Manuel Galvan, 18, John Michael Gutierrez, 18, Antonio Espino, 21, Edwyn Hernandez, 18, Santiago Hernandez, 18, and
a 17-year-old male juvenile, all from Ventura. The six suspects are all facing charges of residential burglary, conspiracy and possession of stolen property.

According to a press release, authorities believe the burglaries began in December 2008 with the level of activity increasing through the late 2010.

The suspects worked in groups of two or more to burglarize homes between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2:30p.m., police said. The suspects would ring doorbells or knock on doors to see if residents were home. If they weren't, the suspects would enter the homes through unlocked windows, sliding doors and doggie doors, officials said. In some cases, the suspects would burglarize the same home over a period of time, according to police.

Police said the suspects took guns, flat screen TV's, electronics, jewelry and cash from their victims. The property was then sold for cash or drugs.

In mid-May, an alert resident reported a burglary in progress in the Mid-Town area of Ventura. As a result, three of the suspects were arrested, officials said. An investigation led police to search the suspects' homes where they found stolen property from the burglaries. The investigation led authorities to arrest the remainder of the suspects.

Detectives believe the group could be responsible for between 300 and 500 burglaries in Ventura.

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