Security cameras catch men lurking around Carpinteria electronics store

Security cameras caught suspicious men lurking around an electronics store in Carpinteria on Sunday evening.

Three men were patrolling the outside of iPower Resale on Carpinteria Avenue around 6:30 pm.

General Manager Tobias Prins knows his store–which sells used Apple products–can be a target for thieves.

“It’s like a jewelry store,” Prins said.

The men were caught studying the front and back entrances to the store. They then used a broomstick to move the security cameras. There were no signs of entry and nothing was stolen.

“We were a little bit shocked that they were actually getting this close in broad daylight in a small town like Carpinteria,” Prins said.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff says it commends iPower for being proactive and using an advanced security system. Deputies in the Carpinteria area are now doing extra patrols around the business.

The Sheriff’s Office is just beginning an investigation and has not named these men as “suspects” yet, but says the security camera footage should be helpful.

iPower has been targeted by people casing the store before, including an incident in March which prompted a “wanted” poster on the store’s outside window.

The Sheriff’s Office says that there is not an uptick in burglaries or suspicious person reports in Carpinteria, but Prins thinks incidents like this are becoming more common.

“We’ve noticed a little bit of a change in Carpinteria,” Prins said. “I think Carpinteria is being a little bit more discovered. Used to be a pretty sleepy beach town, I think. But with more businesses moving in and more activities happening in this town, I think it just attracts more of this type of activity, unfortunately.”

And his message to other local businesses in the area is to be aware.

“We are very aware but there are others that should pay close attention to this type of activity,” Prins said.