3 Santa Paula Men Arrested In County Wide Theft Ring Of Vehicles, Property

CAMARILLO (CBSLA.com) — Three Santa Paula men who were allegedly involved in a county wide theft ring remained in custody Friday.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Juan Castillo, 34, Michael Cantero, 30, and Esteban Oseguera, 25, were arrested for various weapons and property related charges after being found stealing Christmas presents from unlocked vehicles.

Deputies explained a uniformed deputy attempted to stop a stolen vehicle that was occupied by two males around 5:00 a.m. on Dec. 8 in Ventura.

The vehicle was reported stolen the previous day in Santa Barbara County.

According to authorities, the male passenger fled from the vehicle and avoided arrest. The driver, Oseguera, was taken into custody for auto theft and possession of stolen property.

Officials said they found numerous stolen items from unlocked vehicles in Camarillo.

Around 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies stopped Castillo and Cantero as they left the Spanish Hills neighborhood of Camarillo.

Authorities said they searched their vehicle and found several items, including a handgun, that were reported stolen from unlocked vehicles in Spanish Hills.

Deputies were also able to recover stolen property from vehicle thefts in Ventura, Los Angeles and Ojai that were reported missing over the last several months.

Castillo and Cantero are being held on $500,000 at the Ventura County Jail.

Based on the recovery of stolen property, deputies explained the three men area responsible for hundreds of vehicle thefts and stolen vehicles over the last six months.