Port Hueneme police arrest Oxnard man for sixth vehicle theft in past 12 months

PORT HUENEME, Calif. - The Port Hueneme Police Department arrested a man on Friday for his sixth vehicle theft in the past 12 months.

The department said officers were patrolling the 700 block of West Hemlock Street around 4:50 a.m. when they spotted a parked white 1996 Honda Civic sedan nearby.

The officers said they recognized the Civic as a car that was reported stolen out of the Ventura County area. They also reported seeing someone inside the sedan.

Police then conducted an enforcement stop on the car and safely detained 36-year-old Saul Lopez who they report was the only person inside the vehicle.

Upon investigating, officers said Lopez was found to be in possession of a shaved/altered ignition key which he allegedly was using to operate the stolen car.

Police said Lopez is now on Post Release Community Supervision for car theft.

The police department reported that Lopez is a career criminal who has been arrested numerous times in the past 20 years for crimes ranging from drug possession and resisting arrest to first-degree burglary and auto theft.

Officers also report that this was Lopez's sixth vehicle theft arrest in the past 12 months. His most recent arrest having taken place on March 7, 2020, by Oxnard police.

Lopez was booked at the Port Hueneme Police Department and
transported to the Ventura County Jail on charges of stealing a vehicle, being in possession of burglary tools and driving with a suspended license.