Photo: courtesy Central Music, Fillmore CA
Written By: Robert J. McCullough
September 5, 2022 – Ventura County, Ca. – Perhaps simply taking the love of music a step too far, 34-year-old Fillmore resident Guadalupe De Jesus Lopez, is accused of burglarizing his neighborhood’s musical instrument retailer on the night of September 2, 2022.
Law enforcement was alerted to the theft the following morning by the store owner. According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Will Hollowell, once they were on the scene at the music store to initiate an investigation, “deputies determined that unknown suspects forced entry through the front door” and ultimately made off with three acoustic guitars.
Further investigation lead to the discovery of surveillance video cameras on the premises. Accessing the prior night’s video recording enabled deputies to promptly identify a familiar face: Mr. Lopez. At that point, “a search for Lopez ensued.” It didn’t take deputies long to find their man on a downtown Fillmore street in possession of one of the stolen guitars, at which point he was taken into custody. The other two stolen guitars were not located and “are outstanding.”
Lopez was transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on a charge of commercial burglary with his bail set at $10,000.
