4 OC guys arrested before victims knew they’d been hit

The Newport Beach police have announced the arrest of four suspects in thefts from vehicles in a local neighborhood.

The 4 suspects must have thought they found easy pickens in cars parked in this neighborhood

At 1:30 am on Monday (May 20) a Newport Beach police officer made a routine traffic stop near the corner of San Miguel Drive and Pacific View Drive. Within minutes, another officer stopped a vehicle a block away at San Miguel and San Joaquin Hills Road. In both cases, officers discovered what appeared to be stolen property in the car. An on scene investigation by the officers revealed that the two young men in each vehicle were working together, and had stolen the items from unlocked vehicles in the nearby Harbor View Homes neighborhood.

The officers then contacted the two victims, and returned the property that was taken from their cars. Neither was aware that they had been robbed in the late night hours. The officers were able to identify one further vehicle theft committed by the group, and suspect there may be more.

Both cars were stopped within a block of each other by Newport Beach Police

Arrested for possession of stolen property were Kevin Allan Purdue, 23 of Costa Mesa, Andrew Samuelu, 18 of Huntington Beach, Joseph Richard Veenstra, 20 of Fountain Valley, and a 17-year-old juvenile from Garden Grove. Booking photos were not released, but 3 were described as white males, and Samuelu was described as Asian. Anyone with further information about these thefts, or who suspects they might also be a victim, is encouraged to call Detective David Darling at 949-644-3799, or to contact their local police.

Though the victims were lucky this time to get their property returned, they may be partly responsible for allowing easy access to their goods. Police are encouraging all residents to leave their vehicles locked and secured, remove all valuables, or at least hide them, and whenever possible to park in a well lit area.

Read More:

Fountain Valley Patch: Four Arrested for Alleged OC Car Thefts