Four Professional Burglars Plead Guilty to May 2025 Jewelry Store Burglary in Simi Valley

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – Four members of a professional burglary crew have pled guilty to charges connected to a May 25, 2025, Simi Valley burglary at 5-Star Jewelry and Dr. Conkey's Candy and Coffee Shop.

All four defendants admitted to the special allegation that the losses were more than one million dollars and that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicated planning, sophistication, and professionalism noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Wednesday.

An investigation revealed that in mid-May of last year, the defendants coordinated the burglary targeting 5-Star Jewelry shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

On May 16, two of the defendants purchased rope used during the robbery from a Home Depot and on May 20, three of the defendants traveled to the shopping center where both businesses are in a white Volvo SUV during which they canvassed the interior of both businesses detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

On May 25, the defendants returned to the shopping center in the same vehicle and one of the members used a ladder propped on the outside of Dr. Conkey's to access the business' roof in order to gain entry explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, a surveillance camera in the candy and coffee shop was spray painted and the store's safe was broken into and cash stolen.

Defendants then cut through the shared wall of both businesses to access the jewelry store where they broke into a safe and stole jewelry, cash, and silver noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The stolen property was later transferred to a Los Angeles County home added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"This was not a crime of opportunity," said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. "These defendants
planned carefully, conducted surveillance, and used specialized tools and techniques to carry out a
highly sophisticated burglary that caused enormous financial harm. Their guilty pleas ensure
accountability and reflect the strength of the evidence in this case."

Three of the defendants -Manuel David Ibarra, Sergio Andres Meji-Machuca, and Camilo Antonio Aguilar Lara- pled guilty to felony counts of conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and possession of stolen property stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Ibarra and Machuca also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and felony vandalism in connection with a burglary on May 23, 2025, at Simi Valley Pawn Brokers noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The fourth defendant, Heidy Nickolt Trujillo, pled guilty to a count of conspiracy to possess stolen property for her role in the burglary added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

All four are currently scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 20, 2026, where each of them faces at least four years in state prison. All remain in custody with bail set at $100,000 added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.