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Alleged Cannabis Farm Burglar Identified and Arrested Monday By Distinctive Shoes

KEYT

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – A 58-year-old Carpinteria was arrested in connection with a July burglary at a cannabis farm partially because of the distinctive shoes he chose to wear.

On July 21, 2025, deputies were dispatched to a report of a burglary two days earlier at a cannabis farm in the 5800 block of Via Real stated a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.

During the burglary, a suspect was found to have taken grow lighting, a generator, about 30 pounds of marijuana, and a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) detailed the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, surveillance footage gathered by detectives during the investigation captured the suspected burglar wearing bright orange wrestling shoes

A still from surveillance footage used to identify the alleged burglar using their distinctive shoes. Image courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

When investigators shared an image of the shoes with patrol deputies, they recognized the shoes and identified the likely wearer as a 58-year-old Carpinteria man explained the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

On Monday, Aug. 25, around 8:30 a.m., detectives located and arrested the man in the 3900 block of State Street and he was found to have burglary tools with him as well as a bicycle that had been stolen from Isla Vista noted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

An orange wrestling shoe found during the investigation courtesy of the Santa Barbra County Sheriff's Office.

The man was booked at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on multiple charges including burglary, grand theft, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools and his bail has been set at $502,500 shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office added that most of the property stolen from the cannabis farm in July is presumed to have been destroyed and the still-missing UTV has not been recovered, but the stolen bicycle was returned to its owner.

Article Topic Follows: Santa Barbara - South County
burglary
cannabis farm
Carpinteria
crime and court
isla vista
KEYT
marijuana
orange wrestling shoes
Santa Barbara
santa barbara county sheriff's office
shoes
surveillance footage
suspect identification
Via Real

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Andrew Gillies

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