CAMARILLO : Suspect in Theft of Produce Arrested

A Venice man accused of pilfering hundreds of pounds of peppers and other produce in raids on Ventura County farms, was arrested when he was spotted driving away from a field, authorities said.

After his arrest Wednesday afternoon, Will David Young, 45, denied stealing the fruit and vegetables and claimed he had permission to harvest a small amount of crops, said Ventura Sheriff’s Detective Larry Kelly.

Sheriff’s Deputy Desiree Maciel was patrolling the area of Las Posas and Hueneme roads near Camarillo when she saw a compact car in a field matching the description of the car used in a series of produce thefts, Kelly said.

Young had not loaded his car, but debris and equipment found inside tied him to the previous incidents, Kelly said. Among the items recovered from the car were a sickle, grocery bags, cardboard boxes and a small amount of corn shocks, peppers and onions.

“He was apparently selling small quantities of produce in the Los Angeles area,” Kelly said. Young was arrested in connection with three produce thefts from fields owned by A.A. Naumann Brothers during July, the most recent occurring Monday.

Young is scheduled to be arraigned on one count of grand theft this afternoon in Ventura County Municipal Court and is being held in County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.