Valencia Fake Bomb Scare Part Of Santa Clarita Burglary Investigation

Posted by: Perry Smith in Sheriff News June 25, 2014 - 2:39 pm 0 124 Views

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies believe a movie-prop vest stolen from a Valencia garage, which prompted a bomb scare that shut down Kohl’s for hours, is also evidence in a burglary investigation.

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Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to a report of a stolen car Monday night around 5:30 p.m., near the 23700 block of Delmonte Drive in Santa Clarita.

Related: Sheriff’s Deputies Respond To Bomb Scare Near Valencia Kohl’s

Deputies located the vehicle, now abandoned, in the parking lot near Kohl’s in Valencia, near McBean Parkway, shortly thereafter.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found the stolen Toyota Camry with what appeared to be a vest packed with explosives inside, which was initially reported as a “suspicious package,” because it was inside of a duffel bag.

Not knowing the contents of the package, deputies took all precautions necessary, said Deputy Josh Dubin of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, which included shutting down access for several hours to the vicinity where the car was found.

Sheriff’s Station official contacted the Arson-Explosives Unit with the Sheriff’s Department as a precaution.

Through the course of their investigation, Sheriff’s Station detectives discovered the suspicious package found by deputies — a movie prop created to look like a vest with a bomb attached — recently was reported stolen.

Detectives learned the vest was one of several items taken in a series of residential burglaries that took place the same night as the bomb scare.

Deputies are looking for a suspect who they believe made illegal entry into homes and garages in the area, stole several items that were placed in a bag and put in a car the suspect was driving around in — the Toyota Camry reported stolen.

No suspect has been arrested in connection with the thefts. The incident is considered an active investigation.

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