Photo: Jonathan Russell Thomas
Santa Barbara County – It’s just getting more and more difficult for a criminal to ply his trade these days. Not only are video cameras popping up in every public place and on many residential front porches, but some communities are populated by citizens eager to support local law enforcement.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, it was active citizen involvement that led to the November 30th arrest of 28-year-old Santa Maria resident Jonathan Russell Thomas.
It all began late in the afternoon of the 30th when a 911 call was made to the Santa Barbara County Public Safety Dispatch Center reporting a man running through an Orcutt residential backyard.
A detailed description included color and fit of the suspect’s apparel, and as he made his way through the area “a number of other residents in the area” provided the Dispatch Center with a report of the suspect’s “direction of travel and locations” where he was hiding.
Based upon those citizen reports, deputies established a perimeter and “within eight minutes” had Thomas in custody. It was determined that he had “entered at least one residence but fled when he encountered the dogs living there.”
Thomas—who had a pending $10,000 warrant from Humboldt County hanging over his head—was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on charges of residential burglary and false impersonation.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
