Arrest of burglary and identity theft suspects
Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On the afternoon of 05-13-10, at about 4:30 p.m., Moorpark patrol deputies were sent to a call of a male subject who was attempting to purchase multiple gift cards and/or merchandise at a retail store in the Moorpark Marketplace mall. The subject had used several credit cards with different names to complete these transactions. Deputies subsequently contacted two persons in the mall’s parking lot associated with the call. These persons were later identified as Mario Almaguer-Lopez and Miguel Gomez, both from Los Angeles.

Upon further investigation at the scene, Almaguer-Lopez and Gomez were found in possession of numerous access cards whose magnetic strips were re-encoded with access card account information belonging to other persons. In addition, deputies found receipts for the store and items purchased at the store. These items were determined to have been purchased at the store with the re-encoded access cards that the suspects had in their possession. Almaguer-Lopez and Gomez both admitted to knowing the access cards were fraudulent. Both subjects were arrested at the scene.

Almaguer-Lopez and Gomez were later brought to the Ventura County Main Jail where they are waiting arraignment on the following charges: commercial burglary, identity theft, and conspiracy. In addition, Almaguer-Lopez was also arrested for false personation of another.

Location: 800 block of Los Angeles Avenue, Moorpark, CA.
Date & Time/ RB#: May 13, 2010 @ 5:00 p.m. / 10-11489
Unit Responsible: Moorpark Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (W)itnesses Address Age
(S) Mario Almaguer-Lopez Los Angeles 33
(S) Miguel Gomez Los Angeles 38

Officer Preparing Release: Detective Ed Ilano
Follow-up Contact: Detective Ed Ilano (805) 532-2714
Date of Release: May 14, 2010
Approved By: Captain Ron Nelson