Three Busted – Hot-Prowl Burglaries Perpetrated Across Two Counties, Half a Million Recovered
Photo: Brooks Hall
LOS ANGELES – A nine-month investigation across the Antelope Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Ventura County sought suspects responsible for “Cash, jewelry and personal valuables worth nearly ½ million dollars, stolen from over 25 homes. The suspects often utilized rental cars and vehicles with “paper license plates.” These burglaries occurred in the Antelope Valley, the San Fernando Valley, and Ventura County,” said Deputy Trina Schrader, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.
First, several search-and-arrest warrants were served at three locations in the Antelope Valley, on the morning of July 31st. Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s (LASD), Major Crimes Bureau (MCB), Burglary-Robbery Task Force (BRTF), along with detectives from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station and the Ventura County Auto Theft Task Force (VENCAT) conducted the search operation.
Five adult suspects were arrested. Seized were three illegally-possessed firearms – one equipped with a 30-round magazine.
All three Palmdale suspects, Brooks Hall (20), Gerald Young (19), and Clarence Steele Jr. (19), were booked on multiple charges of 459 PC: Residential Burglary. Hall also received a 32310 PC: illegal possession of a High Capacity Magazine.
“These three suspects remain in custody pending a September appearance in the Antelope Valley Superior Court,” said Deputy Schrader. “Two additional adult suspects, not believed to be involved in the burglary spree, were both arrested for being felons in illegal possession of firearms. They were both booked into custody and those cases are currently ongoing.”
The LASD MCB BRTF was formed over ten years ago to combat the ever-increasing trend of organized crews who are committing daytime residential burglaries along with violent robbery crime trends. The MCB BRTF works closely in support of all LASD station’s detective bureaus, as well as other Southern California law enforcement agencies.
Residents and business owners are reminded to secure their properties, be aware of suspicious and unusual persons or vehicles, and to alert their local law enforcement immediately if suspicious activity is observed.
Investigators are seeking any possible additional victims of this “Hot Prowl” burglary crew. If you feel you are possibly a victim of these suspects, their crew, or if you have information regarding these incidents, please contact MCB by e-mail at BRTF@LASD.org. To provide information anonymously, call “Crime Stoppers” (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or via the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
