NEWS RELEASE
DATE: May 10, 2024
SUBJECT: Organized Retail Theft Arrests
SUSPECTS: Kourosh Mirshekar, 35 year-old Oxnard Resident
Atefeh Mohammadi, 27 year-old Oxnard Resident
LOCATION: 4300 block of Waterside Lane, Oxnard
CONTACT: Jose Velazquez, Sergeant
(805) 385-7623 (Tue-Fri 10AM-8PM) jose.velazquez@oxnardpd.org
The Oxnard Police Department’s Property Crimes Unit along with the Drug Enforcement Unit, completed a two-month long investigation into allegations of organized retail thefts that occurred within the City of Oxnard.
The investigation led to the identification of two suspects, Kourosh Mirshekar and Atefeh Mohammadi, both Oxnard residents, who were involved in multiple thefts during a one-month span. Detectives quickly gathered sufficient evidence to secure search warrants to prevent the ongoing loss of property occurring at Oxnard businesses. Detectives worked closely with the victimized business and secured a search warrant for the suspect’s residence, located in the 4300 block of Waterside Lane.
On May 10, 2024, detectives with the Property Crimes and Drug Enforcement Units along with the Special Enforcement Unit, executed the search warrant at the suspect’s residence. During the search of the residence, detectives located several items of stolen property and evidence related to the Organized Retail Theft investigation. In addition to the recovered stolen property, detectives seized a large quantity of U.S. currency believed to be proceeds derived from the activity of Organized Retail Theft.
Both Mirshekar and Mohammadi were arrested and booked at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges associated with Organized Retail Theft.
The Oxnard Police Department is committed to reducing Organized Retail Theft in the city of Oxnard. Ventura County is not immune to these crime trends and has seen a significant increase in criminal activity year after year. From 10/01/2022 until 09/30/2023, within Ventura County, there were 554 reported Organized Retail Theft (ORT) incidents, 1,058 reported stolen vehicle incidents, 799 reported catalytic converter theft incidents, and three reported cargo theft incidents. In total, this amounts to approximately 2,414 crime incidents impacting the citizens of Ventura County. The total estimated loss attributed to these crimes for Ventura County is approximately $10 million per year.
Anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600, or online via the Oxnard Police Department’s website: www.oxnardpd.org, and clicking on “Report Suspicious Activity.” You can remain anonymous if you choose to do so by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit their website: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.