By El Latino Newsroom
On July 27, 2026, Camarillo Patrol deputies responded to a reported theft at the Target shopping center in Camarillo. Two suspects, who had not been identified at the time, allegedly left the store with a shopping cart filled with unpaid merchandise and fled the area in a vehicle before deputies arrived.
Surveillance footage captured descriptions of the suspects, as well as the vehicle used in the alleged crime. Detectives took over the investigation and entered the vehicle’s license plate into the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system’s hotlist.
The hotlist feature generates an immediate, real-time alert for law enforcement when a vehicle entered into the system is detected by an ALPR camera.
On August 21, 2026, detectives received an ALPR alert indicating that the same vehicle associated with the previous Target theft had returned to the Camarillo shopping center. Detectives coordinated with Target’s Loss Prevention personnel, who confirmed that the same suspects had entered the store again, allegedly committed additional thefts and fled the area.
The information was relayed to Camarillo Patrol deputies, who conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle as it was leaving the area. Deputies took John Sobodash and Helen Sobodash into custody. Both were subsequently positively identified as the suspects involved in the July 27 theft.
Detectives responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered approximately $1,500 worth of miscellaneous stolen merchandise, a small quantity of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Based on the quantity and nature of the merchandise recovered, detectives determined that the suspects were allegedly stealing the items with the intent to resell them.
John Sobodash was arrested and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of Organized Retail Theft (490.4 PC), Grand Theft (487 PC), Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (182 PC), Shoplifting (459.5 PC), Possession of a Controlled Substance (11350 HS) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (11364 HS). His bail was set at $20,000.
Helen Sobodash was arrested and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of Organized Retail Theft (490.4 PC), Grand Theft (487 PC), Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (182 PC) and Shoplifting (459.5 PC). Her bail was also set at $20,000.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office encouraged residents to help law enforcement combat crime by following the agency on Twitter at @VENTURASHERIFF and on Facebook and Instagram at @VCSHERIFF. Residents can also sign up for Nixle alerts by texting their ZIP code to 888777 to receive local law enforcement and public safety alerts and advisories.
