UPDATE: DA finds insufficient evidence in theft investigation 

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The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office declined to charge a man and a woman with receiving or concealing stolen property after local sheriff’s deputies arrested the family members at the same home where they’ve found stolen goods multiples times. 

“At this time, without additional evidence, the prosecution will be unable to prove these suspects … involvement in the theft or having knowledge and possession of the stolen property recovered from their yard,” was the reason the charges weren’t filed, according to a charge report from Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Greenburg, on May 23, two days after the arrest. “If additional evidence is discovered that directly links these two suspects to either the taking or having knowledge/possession of the stolen items, then [sic] pls provide a supp report articulating the additional evidence and charges will be further evaluated at that time.” 

A multipage request to search for additional evidence obtained by The Signal explained why deputies suspected the family knew the stolen goods were on their property: 

A young mother woke up around 2 a.m. to feed her infant child when she heard people talking just outside her Newhall apartment, looked out her window and saw a sedan parked nearby with no plates. 

After waking up again later that morning, she realized her car had been broken into and then ransacked, so she reported the crime to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. 

A report from officials indicated there was security footage showing a suspect wearing a black “LA” baseball hat with white lettering, a black hooded sweatshirt, baggy blue jeans and an oversized white belt with black writing. 

Local detectives declined comment, saying they considered it an open and active investigation, but evidence cited in sworn statements indicates the suspects are known to neighbors and detectives for involvement in several investigations, including the shooting of an off-duty law enforcement officer in Valencia. 

Not long after filing a report at the SCV Sheriff’s Station, the victim contacted the station to say some of her items were found at a trailer park not far from her home on Railroad Avenue. 

“The victim informed us that she and her husband drove through the local neighborhood and was [sic] directed by local residents where (the juvenile suspect) lived,” according to a statement by the lead investigator in court records obtained by The Signal. 

“The victim drove to the trailer park located on Railroad Avenue and in plain view of the property (front yard not gated) she immediately saw and recognized some of her property, which were [sic] inside the vehicle prior to being broken into,” according to the detective’s statement.  

The victim retrieved her items from the property, was met by deputies and reported the incident, according to station officials. 

In an effort to search the property further, the investigator who received the initial incident report from deputies wrote to an L.A. County Superior Court judge that he immediately recognized the address from his investigation into the shooting of an off-duty L.A. Police Department officer. 

Three of the suspects in the vehicle burglary were tied to the address, and during a search of the residence, SCV Sheriff’s Station officials reported that they found numerous stolen items. 

The detective noted in his report that two of the burglary suspects also were suspected of being involved in the off-duty officer shooting. A third suspect in the shooting also was believed to be tied to the address on Railroad Avenue. 

While deputies supervised, the victim was able to recover several other stolen items, according to courthouse records. 

The family’s name is mentioned in the court records, but is being withheld from this story because criminal charges have yet to be filed against the family members. 

“Within the past two years, several search warrants have been executed at the residences of the … family,” according to the detective’s statement. “In late 2023, the … family resided at an apartment complex on Walnut Street, in the city of Newhall. During that time, they were identified in a similar fashion as being in possession of another victim’s stolen property. After the victim observed his property at the location, a search warrant was served at the location and his property was recovered.” 

The detective also noted in his report that during the search of the residence where the juvenile suspect lived, he was seen wearing the same outfit as the suspect captured on surveillance footage.  

Station detectives believe the home is being used to frequently store stolen property “based on the sheer volume” found at the address, according to the detective’s report. 

The comments from the DA’s office explain the concerns with the evidence collected: 

“victim’s vehicle was entered by (unk) suspects, and several items of personal property were taken (cleaning tools). victim later discovers her stolen items in the yard of a nearby residence ((defendants’) residence). video footage from the taking, depicts a juvenile suspect involved in the incident, but apparently does not capture any additional suspects,” per the charge evaluation worksheet. 

“Charges are declined at this time based on the insufficiency of evidence to meet prosecutor’s burden of proof at trial.” 

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