Six adult suspects arrested in April are being held to answer to charges this week, in connection with two robberies the “crew” allegedly committed in Santa Barbara.

Although there were seven suspects arrested in total, one being a juvenile, the six adult offenders each currently face two counts of burglary, two counts of vandalism and two counts of violating the Street Terrorism Act.

The investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s, Major Crimes Bureau, Burglary-Robbery Task Force initially arrested the suspects on April 9th, 2017, at approximately 3:15 a.m., according to officials. Investigators recovered burglary tools (crowbar, gloves, headlamps, bolt cutters), and cash stolen from the locations inside the suspect’s vehicles.

From a previous story: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau Task Force Nabs Burglary Crew Suspects

LASD Detectives assigned to the MCB Burglary Robbery Task Force are working closely with Santa Barbara Police detectives, as well as other Southern California law enforcement agencies in an attempt to connect this burglary crew to several similar burglaries committed throughout the southland in recent months.

While this crew is likely responsible for several dozen burglaries, investigators believe there may be other like minded crews also committing similar crimes.

The LASD MCB Burglary-Robbery Task Force was formed over six years ago to combat the ever increasing trend of organized crews who are committing daytime residential
burglaries.  

Typically known as “Knock-Knock” burglars, these crews, often formed by gang members, utilize high-end luxury vehicles to blend into middle class and affluent neighborhoods where they break into homes and businesses ransacking and stealing valuables such as cash, jewelry and weapons.

KHTS tips and tricks for business owners: Detectives Offer Tips For Businesses After Burglary Robbery Task Force Arrests

The LASD has also offered a few tips and tricks for business owners in an effort to keep commercial and residential properties safe:

1. After hours, leave the register open and empty, so that anyone could see there’s no cash inside
2. The doors might get broken into by thieves wanting to look in and see, but the best way to discourage that is to not leave anything valuable out, if possible
3. Bolt your safe down
4. If you invest in an audio alarm, use one that links directly to local law enforcement, not all audible alarms automatically contact police
5. If your business is in a strip mall, talk to the property owner about the video surveillance for the lot
6. Talk to the strip make owners and see about getting cameras in the parking lot

All six adult suspects and one juvenile remain in custody in the Santa Barbara County Jail pending their next court appearance.

The Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act takes punitive action against “any person who actively participates in any criminal street gang with knowledge that its members engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity, and who willfully promotes, furthers, or assists in any felonious criminal conduct by members of that gang, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or two or three years,” according to the California State Legislature.