by Cindy Summers
Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Armed Robbery
On September 25, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a 911 call from a female employee of the Goodwill Retail Store, reporting that an armed robbery had just occurred. The suspects, one armed with a handgun, were last seen fleeing in a silver van. The driver was a Hispanic male wearing beanie hat and all black clothing, no description of the second suspect was available.
During the investigation, officers learned the victim was exiting the store when the suspect called out to her from within the van. The victim approached the parked vehicle and was immediately confronted by the suspect who brandished a handgun and demanded the victim’s property. The victim complied with the request and relinquished a bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect took the bag and was last seen traveling west on Main Street.
Officers checked the area, but were unable to locate the suspect. The victim was not injured as a result of this incident.
Attempt Robbery
On September 27, at approximately 9:30pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a call 911 call from the victim who was at 1130 south Victoria Ave, Bank of America (ATM). The victim indicated that a male suspect, later identified as 40 year old Thousand Oaks vagrant Scott Oppenheim, yelled at her and pushed her from the ATM as she was trying to withdraw money from the ATM. The suspect manipulated the ATM in order to withdraw money from the victim’s account. The victim began to yell and scream for help as several bystanders at a nearby gas station came to the victim’s aide. The bystanders fought with the suspect as the suspect was able to flee from them.
Officers arrived on scene and saw the suspect walking eastbound on Telephone Rd. from Victoria Ave. when he was stopped. The suspect did not follow any commands that officers were giving him. K9 Rover was sent and apprehended the suspect who was taken into custody.
The suspect was taken to VCMC where he was treated for his minor injuries sustained from the bystanders assisting the Victim and from the apprehension. No officers were injured as a result of this incident.
Aggravated Trespassing Arrest
On September 30 at 2:30pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call from a resident in the 200 block of Hoover Avenue who advised a male subject had just attempted to gain entry into their home. When officers arrived on scene they learned the victim had confronted the suspect to the front of their residence after he had attempted to enter through the front door. The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival and he was not located at that time.
At approximately 3:15pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a 911 call from a resident in the 100 block of San Mateo Avenue who advised a male subject had just illegally entered their home and was being detained by a family member. Responding officers recognized the suspect matched the description from the earlier call on Hoover Avenue.
As officers arrived on scene, they contacted the suspect, 19 year old Ojai resident Angel Esperanza, in the front yard and detained him without incident. During the investigation, officers determined Esperanza had attempted to enter the residence through the front door as he had previously done on Hoover Avenue. When he found the front door locked, he tried a locked garage door and eventually made entry into the house through an open side door. A resident confronted Esperanza just inside the entryway and demanded he leave. The resident physically detained Esperanza after he refused to exit and began to push his way further into the home.
Esperanza was placed under arrest and transported to VCMC where he was treated for minor injuries he received as a result of being detained by the victim. He was later booked into the Ventura County Jail for misdemeanor aggravated trespassing.
Stolen Vehicle Arrest
On October 1 at 2:15pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call from a victim who was reporting having just found his stolen utility trailer in the 1500 block of Goodyear Avenue. The victim indicated the trailer was stolen out of Oxnard on September 21.
As officers arrived on scene, they observed the suspect, 30 year old Ventura vagrant Brandon Beechum, attaching his vehicle to the trailer. Beechum was detained and evidence located on his person further linked him to the trailer.
Beechum was arrested and transported to Ventura County Jail where he was booked for possession of a stolen vehicle. A female passenger was questioned and released at the scene.
Commercial Burglary Arrest
On October 1 at 7:30pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call of an audible burglary alarm at the Buena High School cafeteria located at 5670 Telegraph Road.
As officers arrived on scene they found an open exterior door and observed a male juvenile suspect inside. A perimeter was established around the cafeteria and the suspect was ordered to exit. He refused to comply with officers commands and retreated further into the cafeteria where officers lost sight of him.
A Ventura Police K9 was summoned to the scene to assist officers as they entered the cafeteria to search for the suspect. Within minutes, the K9 located the 17 year old juvenile hiding behind a counter inside the kitchen area. The suspect attempted to physically resist officers as he was taken into custody.
The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to Ventura County Juvenile Hall where he was booked for commercial burglary. The suspect was not injured during the arrest.
Brandishing a Replica Firearm in a Threatening Manner Arrest
On October 3, at approximately 3:30pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received separate 911 calls reporting two vagrants in a verbal argument in the 3000 block of E. Main St., near the intersection of Dos Caminos Ave. As the two subjects were still arguing, the callers reported one of them pulled out a gun and pointed it at the other subject. While the patrol units were still responding to the call, the subjects had separated and left the area in different directions. The subject with the gun, later identified as 42 year old vagrant David Olszewski, was last seen leaving the area on foot eastbound on Main St.
As he left the area, Olszewski then confronted the manager of the Bayshore Inn, a short distance away from the location of the original altercation, and pointed the gun at the manager in a threatening manner.
Units arrived on scene and took Olszewski into custody without incident. He had discarded the gun, but after a search of the area it was located and determined to be a replica firearm. (See attached).
Olszewski was arrested and later booked into the Ventura County Jail for brandishing a replica firearm in a threatening manner.
The first subject that was observed in the verbal altercation with Olszewski was last seen leaving on foot northbound on Dos Caminos Ave. and was not located.
