A Canyon Country man is in custody in Downtown Los Angeles after a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station investigation linked him to seven local burglary attempts in a single night last month.
Detectives were able to identify Alex Macias, 24, as a suspect in the July 27 burglaries, thanks to security footage and help from a patrol deputy who remembered the suspect and his “old man mask” from a previous investigation, according to court records obtained by The Signal.
He’s currently facing seven felony burglary charges, each with a special allegation the crime was committed while Macias was on bail on his own recognizance during the alleged crime spree, according to L.A. County Superior Court records.
Detectives’ efforts to locate evidence in connection to the allegations against Macias include the details of what they believe happened that night.
The incidents also served as a reminder about ways that business owners can help law enforcement catch burglars.
Sierra Highway allegations
The detective’s report alleges Macias made two stops that night on Sierra Highway based on the theft and vandalism reports the station received: Damage was reported at Crazy Hot Chicken and Sierra Meat and BBQ.
At the chicken spot, the glass door was shattered and about $500 was stolen from the cash registers inside the business. The door was estimated to cost $1,000 to repair, according to the station’s report of the incident.
The surveillance footage depicts “a male adult wearing a full head costume mask resembling a male white adult with gray hair and receding hairline, wearing a short-sleeve shirt and pants” shattering a glass door and then entering the business through the shattered door.
Across a small shopping center parking lot, the door to Sierra Meat was shattered minutes later with an audible alarm sounding.
Their door also was estimated to cost $1,000 to repair, according to the sheriff’s report of the incident.
Next stop, Soledad Canyon
Less than a mile, or a 20-minute walk away via Google Maps, video surveillance footage showed the same old man costume mask on a suspect breaking into the Girl Scouts of America in the 18300 block of Soledad Canyon Road, about 30 minutes after the Sierra Meat burglary.
The Girl Scouts reported the damage to their shattered glass door at approximately $400.
The report had no mention of property theft, just the report of the shattered door.
Across the street, next to the Canyon Country Community Center, Casa Vieja appears to have been the next target.
An employee reported that $500 was taken from the cash register and a glass door was shattered, with the reported loss being $1,000. The burglar also smashed windows at the business during his visit to break into the restaurant from the patio.
The burglar also grabbed items from the bar area and put them in his pockets.
The individual was seen heading west, which matches up with the next reported burglary that deputies investigated.
Oh Bella Cafe in the 18500 block of Soledad Canyon Road was reported as another victim in the deputies’ report.
During a walk-through with station officials, the victim reported that a counterfeit $100 bill placed underneath the counter was stolen, and the shattered window would cost $500 to repair, according to deputies’ statements in court records.
The burglar, who was seen wearing the same mask, removed a single bill from the register, according to the report, before leaving.
The information regarding the previous allegation he was on bail for was not immediately available Thursday. Station officials indicated the investigation was active and now part of an ongoing court case.
Final stops
A sushi restaurant on Shangri-La Drive, Ichiban Sushi, appeared to be the penultimate target based on a timeline pieced together using security footage from businesses.
Just north of Soledad Canyon Road, the restaurant’s security footage showed an individual wearing the same mask, shattering a window the owner said would cost $1,000 to repair, and the owner provided deputies security footage of the incident.
The suspect appears to leave the business around 3:26 a.m., which is shortly before the last burglary reported that evening in the investigation, at Route 66, a popular bar and grill on Soledad Canyon Road.
A seven-minute walk away, according to Google Maps, stands the last victim, which was struck at 3:33 a.m., according to the security footage provided to deputies from the burglary.
The burglar, seen wearing the same mask as the person in the other six incidents, shattered the door, which was estimated to cost $1,000 to repair.
The footage from the final incident shows the individual putting on his mask and removing it in the patio area of the restaurant.
“After reviewing the video surveillance footage for each incident, I noticed the suspect wore the same clothing and a realistic old man mask with gray hair and a receding hairline,” according to the investigator’s sworn statements to the court. “The suspect also had a unique intoeing gait and the method of entry/exit and actions of the suspect in each burglary were very similar. Based on the above, I determined the same suspect is responsible for all the aforementioned cases.”
The detective’s report also notes the statements from a station deputy who reported to have seen the video surveillance footage of the incidents and identified the suspect to be Alex Macias.
Macias is due back in court Sept. 25 for an early disposition hearing, when he is expected to answer to the charges. He is being held in lieu of $165,000 bail as of the publication of this story.
Station reminders
The deputy specifically recalled an investigation regarding a series of thefts that involved the suspect. When the deputy contacted the suspect in March, he learned Macias “had a realistic old man mask in his possession,” according to the report.
Macias was arrested Aug. 5, after deputies filed a Ramey Warrant based on the evidence they gathered. A Ramey warrant allows an arrest warrant to be issued prior to the filing of charges based on evidence presented to the court by law enforcement.
Much of the victims’ statements were able to be corroborated using the video footage, which is why security cameras are so helpful in law enforcement investigations, according to Deputy Robert Jensen, spokesman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
“Street-facing cameras are helpful as well because people forget when they get into cars,” he said, adding it also can be useful to tell where people have come from and where they’re headed.
Jensen said if a business owner is evaluating their security camera situation, he strongly recommends systems that offer a remote server, which prevents a suspect from being able to tamper with evidence and often allows a proprietor remote access for monitoring.
He also emphasized community partnerships, not just with law enforcement but among business owners as well.
A neighborhood watch is a good idea, and so is keeping up with the station’s emails and alerts, he added. Sometimes, a potential thief will inspect a business to monitor activity, he added, and if someone notices suspicious behavior, it’s always a good idea to make a note of it and to let law enforcement know.
“The idea I want to convey is that a partnership with law enforcement is what will deter these guys,” he added, referring to potential thieves.
