The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department reported that a deputy had on December 23 arrested 19-year-old Christopher Berry on charges of possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, and felony vandalism – all of which are connected in some way to a string of vehicular burglaries in the Goleta area. His bail was set at $20,000.
While patrolling an area of Goleta near San Blanco and San Milano drives, the deputy saw a young man sitting suspiciously in a car, a report of the incident read. The deputy contacted Berry, whereupon he noticed that Berry had various tools commonly used in burglaries as well as several items that had recently been reported as having been stolen from vehicles in the area, including iPods and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. Berry then reportedly admitted to having stolen these items from unlocked cars – four thefts in all. A search of Berry’s residence yielded even more items that investigators suspect may have been stolen as well.
As it stands now, $1,200 in allegedly stolen property has been collected, the report noted. The investigation continues. Once complete, it will be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office.