Carpinteria cars targeted in vandalism spree

CARPINTERIA — The usually placid beachfront community has been victimized by an alarming rash of extensive vandalism on city streets that resulted in one arrest Tuesday and may lead to more.

According to Rebecca Jackson, longtime Carpinteria resident and local artist, she and her neighbors awakened to discover vehicles parked along residential curbsides with multiple flat tires. Inspection of their cars revealed that dozens of vehicles had gouged slashes in tire sidewalls, making the cars impossible to drive and the tires impossible to repair.

Gustavo Julian

As additional calls from area residents along Linden Avenue, 8th Street, Willow Place, Elm, Holly, Oak, and Palm avenues flooded the local substation switchboard, Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies ultimately discovered in excess of 60 vehicles with identical damage throughout neighborhood streets closest to the beach in an area delineated by U.S. 101 on the north and the sands of Carpinteria State Beach on the south.

Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Drew Sugars confirmed the Jackson’s initial report, which indicated that vehicles parked in driveways on private property were targeted as well as those parked on the public thoroughfare. An unseasonably early “summer” weekend of balmy weather was one reason for a capacity crowd of recreational visitors, some of whom were subjected to the vandalism.

“Some of the vehicles were clearly on private property, but most were parked on city streets,” Sugars said. “Unfortunately, many of the victims were weekend tourists.”

Deputies investigating the widespread crime scene found sufficient evidence that led them to investigate a local resident living on Maple Street.

That individual proved to be Gustavo Julian, an 18-year-old whom witnesses later identified as the individual they had observed between the hours of midnight and dawn walking along city streets and tampering with various vehicles.

Sugars indicated that more arrests in the case may be forthcoming, but declined to reveal additional evidence uncovered by deputies pending those prospective arrests. He requested any further tips or information regarding these incidents be reported to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Tip Line at (805) 681-4171.