Between November 2013 and February 2014, deputies assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station began to see an increase in vehicle burglaries and vehicle tires being slashed in and around the 20400 block of Soledad Canyon Road in the City of Santa Clarita.

In these incidents, the suspect or suspects would either burglarize the victim’s vehicle or simply slash the tires of the vehicle causing thousands of dollars in damage. In one incident a soft top of a convertible vehicle was slashed and damaged.

On Sunday, Feb. 9, an alert citizen saw a suspect committing apparent criminal activity.  The citizen called the Sheriff’s Department described what was seen.  A deputy assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded and arrested the suspect, Jonathan Szabo, a 20-year-old male from Canyon Country.  Szabo was arrested on felony vandalism charges.

The case was turned over to detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station COBRA team for further investigation.  COBRA detectives began to review all of the various criminal incidents that had occurred in the area since November 2013. Detectives learned that approximately $7,000 in tire vandalism had been committed.  The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed ten felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of vehicle burglary and vandalism.

Currently Mr. Szabo is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in lieu of $180,000 bail.  He is scheduled to appear in North Valley Superior Court in San Fernando on March 10, 2014 in case number PA07966001.

Deputies recognize the extraordinary benefits in reducing crime by partnering with the community and keeping the public informed on how they can get involved with our crime prevention efforts. No one cares more about a specific area then the residents who live there, and proactive residents again played part in bringing this alleged vandal being brought to justice.