Two people found in an evacuation order zone in Cuyama are now facing theft-related charges, sheriff’s officials say.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, shortly after 8:15 a.m. Thursday, deputies received a report of a burglary in progress at a home along the 2100 block of Schaeffer Road. The home is within an evacuation zone due to the nearby Foothill Fire.
Sheriff’s officials say with the help of the California Highway Patrol, it was determined the suspects had entered an unattached garage on the property and “also removed copper wiring used to power the property owner’s well.”
Deputies located and arrested two people in the area who had burglary tools and narcotics paraphernalia, the sheriff's office said, identifying the suspects as Bridget Jessica Martinez, 34, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 39, both from Taft.
They were booked at the Northern Branch Jail in Santa Maria on suspicion of multiple theft-related charges.
“The Sheriff’s Office maintains enhanced law enforcement presence in evacuation areas during emergencies to safeguard evacuated neighborhoods and deter criminal activity. Deputies remain vigilant for suspicious behavior and will actively investigate any unauthorized activity within restricted areas,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release, adding that, “The Sheriff’s Office recognizes that residents displaced by wildfires are already facing significant stress and uncertainty, and criminal acts targeting evacuated properties will not be tolerated.
As of Thursday morning, the Foothill Fire, which broke out Tuesday evening in the Cuyama Valley, had burned 904 acres and was 50 percent contained.
Evacuation warnings and orders remained in effect.
The cause is under investigation.
