Sheriff's Deputy Arrests Serial Car Burglar

Goleta - December 25th, 2008

On December 23rd, 2008 Deputy Jason Vasquez was on routine patrol near San Blanco and San Milano, an area in Goleta recently plagued by auto burglaries. Around 4:30am Deputy Vasquez observed a suspicious subject sitting in a car. That subject was identified as Christopher Berry (DOB:  6-16-89) of Santa Barbara.

Upon contact Deputy Vasquez noticed inside Berry’s car several items commonly used as burglary tools. He also noticed numerous pieces of property in Berry’s possession that matched items taken in recent auto burglaries. Berry eventually admitted to stealing items from several unlocked vehicles in the Santa Barbara and Goleta areas. 

Detectives later conducted an interview with Berry in which he admitted to four thefts the night prior.  During a search at Berry’s residence, Detectives located more suspected items of stolen property. Berry was booked into jail for possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, and felony vandalism.  The investigation remains open and once complete the various counts of thefts from auto will be submitted to the District Attorney’s office for complaint.  Bail set at $20,000.

“This is a significant arrest due to the recent auto burglaries during the holiday season,” said Lt. Sol Linver of the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division. “Of the more than $1,200 worth of stolen property, such as iPods and GPS systems, many were stolen from unlocked vehicles. The Sheriff’s Department would like to remind people to lock their vehicles to secure their personal items.”

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