On Monday, January 18, 2016, at about 11:10pm, officers responded to the area of Olive Avenue and Sixth Street regarding a carjacking that had just occurred.
Two victims, a 64 year-old female and a 39 year-old male, reported they were approached by three males, one armed with a handgun. The suspect threatened the male victim, while taking the female’s purse.
Two of the three suspects got into the victims’ car, a 2007 Kia Spectra, while the third suspect fled on foot and entered a white Toyota Camry, which was parked nearby. Both cars left the area northbound toward Kenneth Road. The loss included jewelry and cell phones.
Early Tuesday morning, January 19, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department notified Burbank Police they had recovered the victim’s stolen Kia Spectra after a short vehicle pursuit in Carpinteria, CA.
Two passengers in the Kia, who have been identified as 24 year-old Freddie Gutierrez of Carpinteria and 18 year-old Cynthia Alvarez of Santa Barbara, were immediately apprehended after the vehicle crashed. The driver, 23 year-old John Connell of Santa Barbara, was arrested a short distance away with the assistance of a K9 team. A white Toyota Camry was also located nearby at a motel associated with the suspects.
The trio was booked into jail in Santa Barbara County on various charges, including evading, possession of stolen property and automobile theft.
Burbank Police Investigators are working with their counterparts with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department to coordinate efforts in filing charges against the suspects in this case.
