Stolen Trailer With $50K In Junior Lifeguard Equipment Recovered In Ventura

VENTURA (CBSLA) — Summer fun and safety will go on as planned after authorities recovered $50,000 in junior lifeguard equipment stolen from San Buenaventura State Beach.

A Ford pickup truck and a utility trailer belonging to California State Parks were stolen from the San Buenaventura State Beach facility at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The trailer contained equipment belonging to the Ventura junior lifeguard program like surfboards, fins and traffic cones and was worth an estimated $50,000.

Perhaps because of the help from the California Highway Patrol, Ventura police, California State Parks and Ventura County's Auto Theft Task Force, the stolen pickup and trailer was found during a search of the surrounding area the same day. The equipment was also recovered.

Ventura's junior lifeguard program, which serves hundreds of county youths every summer, was getting ready to kick off its 2019 summer session this month.

Even though the equipment and vehicles have been recovered, authorities say they would still like the public's help in catching the thief. Anyone with information about the crime can call the California Highway Patrol's Ventura Area office at (805) 662-2661.