Four people were arrested Tuesday in connection with a string of commercial burglaries in the Santa Barbara area, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Shortly after 9 a.m., officers responded for a theft investigation at the Rite Aid drug store at 1976 Cliff Dr. on the Mesa, police spokesman Anthony Wagner said.
They were given descriptions of three suspects — and an associated vehicle — who had fled the area.
“Another Santa Barbara police officer investigating an unrelated call became aware of a vehicle matching the description of the Rite Aid investigation,” Wagner told Noozhawk. “That officer located the vehicle in the 100 block of West Cabrillo Boulevard, occupied by two females.”
Responding officers also detained an additional male and female in the area, and after successful in-field line-ups, arrested all four suspects for the Rite Aid theft in addition to drug-related charges, Wagner said.
Booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for various felony, misdemeanor and probation-related drug and theft charges were Sara Romano, 21, Cassandra Romano, 36, Alicia Marin, 41 and Blaine Page, 24, Wagner said.
Burglary detectives determined that thefts also had been reported recently at a Santa Barbara-area Vons supermarket and the Goleta Home Depot store, and the four people are suspected to be involved in those cases too, Wagner said.
The combined theft amount exceeded $1,000.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.