Police: Car dealership crimes spike

Ventura police are investigating an arson fire and two crimes at car dealerships.

They said three Volkswagens were stolen before dawn Wednesday at Barber RV on East Main Street in Ventura.

Around 5:30 a.m., police said an alarm went off at Range Rover in the Ventura Auto Center, across town.

Items taken from a trunk were dropped as police closed in, but when police tried to pull the getaway car over it sped up to speeds above 100 mph. The officer decided it was not safe for the community to continue the chase down Victoria Avenue toward the 126 freeway.

Then, Wednesday afternoon Ventura County firefighters were called to an arson car fire behind a market in Saticoy.

A hobby shop owner who smelled the smoke put it out with a garden hose.

The new gray Tiguan SUV had been stolen from Barber VW. Sheriff”s deputies had it towed to an evidence yard.

Thursday, another stolen VW was found on the west side of Ventura.

Police may have found the third car crashed in Thousand Oaks. The driver got away by carjacking another car Thursday afternoon.

Ventura Police said a number of agencies are now searching for the car thief.