Three Orcutt teens are being investigated by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for their suspected involvement in a recent string of car vandalism incidents in Santa Maria and Orcutt.
The suspects were stopped by a sheriff’s deputy just after midnight on June 9, according to a Sheriff’s Office press release, while they were sitting in a car matching the description of one involved in several recent reports of vandalism.
The silver 2003 Toyota Corolla sedan was stopped near Mira Flores Drive and Via De Luna in Orcutt, according to the release, where a matching car involved in several vandalism incidents was caught by street surveillance cameras days before.
More than 24 vehicles parked in driveways and along the streets of Santa Maria and Orcutt were vandalized overnight on May 31 and June 7. The cars’ windows were shot at and broken, according to the Sheriff’s Office, by what appeared to be an Airsoft or BB gun.
Vehicles parked on Fair Oaks and Mira Flores drives in Orcutt were heavily targeted, along with cars near South Elizabeth and East Boone streets in Santa Maria.
“This was very inconvenient for the vehicle owners targeted,” Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover told the Sun. It is unclear exactly how much monetary damage was caused during the vandalism spree, Hoover said.
The suspects—men aged 19, 18, and 16—were found in the suspect car on June 9, where sheriff’s deputies also reportedly discovered a BB pistol. While no arrests were made, the driver was cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and for having an expired vehicle registration, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The 16-year-old was cited for a curfew violation.
The case, according to the Sheriff’s Office, is still under investigation and no further details are being released at this time. Once the investigation is complete, a report will be forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office with the recommendation that vandalism charges be filed.
This article appears in Jun 14-21, 2018.