California Crime and Courts

Ventura County prosecutors released video showing four Chilean nationals filming themselves as they cut through the roof and shared wall of 5‑Star Jewelry & Watch Repair in Simi Valley, California, during a May 25, 2025 burglary that netted about $3 million in jewelry, watches, cash and silver. The crew allegedly spent weeks planning the job, stealing rope from Home Depot, surveilling the shopping center in a white Volvo SUV, and scouting a neighboring candy and coffee shop to locate cameras and the shared wall. On the night of the break‑in, one suspect climbed a ladder, entered through the candy shop roof, spray‑painted a camera, opened that store’s safe, then cut through into the jewelry store to access a second safe while an accomplice paused mid‑crime to flash a peace sign at the camera. The stolen goods were later traced to a Los Angeles County home, where the four suspects were arrested on June 10, some allegedly still wearing stolen jewelry. District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said the planning, surveillance and "sophistication" warranted removing the defendants from society and warned that Ventura County "will not tolerate organized burglary crews" treating local communities as targets.