Incident: Arrest of Auto Theft Suspect

Contact: Watch Commander 805.339.4416

Location:  South Victoria Avenue and Valentine Road

Date/Time Occurred: February 21, 2012 @ 6:30 p.m.

Officer(s) Involved:  Ofc. T. Marchetti and numerous VPD patrol officers

Victim(s):     Matthew Karst, 27, Ojai resident

Suspect(s):   Lindsay Fleischer, 25, vagrant

                         Christopher Cruz, 19, vagrant

Report #:  12-2047 

Narrative:

On February 21, 2012 at 4:00 p.m., victim Matthew Karst called the Ventura Police Department to report his vehicle stolen.  A report was filed and the vehicle was entered into the National Stolen Vehicle System and VPD patrol officers began to search for the stolen vehicle.

On the same date at 6:30 p.m., an alert Ventura Police officer observed the stolen vehicle with two occupants at the Shell gas station in Ventura.  Several additional VPD patrol officers responded to the location and the driver, Lindsay Fleischer, was taken into custody without incident.  The passenger was identified as Christopher Cruz who was arrested for outstanding warrants. 

Fleischer was booked into Ventura County Jail for 10851(a) CVC – auto theft, 496(d)(a) PC – possession of a stolen auto and 14601 CVC – driving on a suspended license.  The vehicle was successfully returned to the victim in its original condition.