May 20, 2013

Two Ventura residents were arrested after the car they allegedly stole blew a tire and left them stranded on the side of Highway 101 in Camarillo.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office reports that the duo, an 18-year-old man and a 21-year-old man, both Ventura residents, were questioned after Camarillo Police officers were dispatched to Highway 101 at the Springville exit after a report of “suspicious” activity was lodged.

The officers discovered the men in the area, and they were eventually tied to the vehicle that was stranded on Highway 101. That vehicle had allegedly been stolen from Thousand Oaks. Although no specifics were given, the men were also suspected of stealing another vehicle in Camarillo.

They were arrested and booked into Ventura County Jail on charges 10851VC (theft and unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle), 11550HS (being under the influence of a controlled substance), and 148.9PC (falsely representing or identifying oneself as another person or a fictitious person to a peace officer.)

There is a distinction between the unlawful taking of a vehicle and grand theft auto (GTA), which is covered under Penal Code 487(d)(1) PC. Because the suspects were charged with vehicle theft, the assumption may be that they had taken the vehicle for the purpose of “joyriding” and had no intention of permanently taking the vehicles in question.

Vehicle Code 10851 can be prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor, depending on circumstances. If charged as a misdemeanor, a defendant can face up to one year in county jail and a $5,000 penalty — or both. If charged as a felony, a defendant faces up to three years in county jail and/or a fine of $10,000.

If you have been arrested and charged with vehicle theft in Ventura County, hiring an experienced attorney to defend your legal rights is essential. The Law Offices of Daniel E. Kann has a legal team solely dedicated to seeing that your case gets the best outcome possible.

If you have been accused of a crime in the Ventura area, call us in Ventura at (888) 744-7730 or contact us online.