SFV Burglary Gang Suspects held on $120k Bail

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department believes that they have caught a gang of men responsible for a number of burglaries across Los Angeles.  The men were arrested in Santa Barbara after they were believed to have been involved in two similar burglaries in the coastal town.  The men between 20 and 27 years old were charged with a number of crimes including suspicion of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and other gang-related charges.  One juvenile was also arrested; he is on probation for burglaries.  The string of burglaries that the men are charged with are all similar in nature.  In each of the crimes, the crew would force entry through a door or window then would steal cash drawers and safes according to authorities.  Several law enforcement agencies teamed up to arrest the gang.  Each of the men is a felon who has been previously arrested for a number of crimes including criminal firearm possession, battery, narcotics and burglary.  Each of the adult men is being held on $120,000 bail.  The men are scheduled to be arraigned later this month on the burglary and gang-related charges.

Bail is generally set according to a countywide bail schedule.  A defendant is entitled to a bail review hearing where a judge will consider arguments from both the prosecutor and the defense.  The judge may increase, reduce or even eliminate the bail depending on the circumstances.  Bail schedules are agreed upon by the county judges and set each year according to the severity of the crime committed.