CAMARILLO, Calif. — Two Los Angeles residents suspected of operating within a multi-county organized retail theft ring are in custody after returning to the Camarillo Premium Outlets—the same commercial location where one of the suspects allegedly led law enforcement officers on a high-speed freeway pursuit two months earlier.
The suspects, identified as 27-year-old Dalma Shantall Saldana Nunez and 28-year-old Erwin Junir Arotinco Shaupingahua, were taken into custody on Thursday afternoon, July 23, 2026, in the 900 block of Camarillo Center Drive.
According to an official investigative report released by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, detectives recovered approximately $4,500 in stolen merchandise following a coordinated multi-unit law enforcement takedown.
High-Speed May Pursuit Initiated Multi-County Probe
The long-term investigation originated during the final week of May 2026, when Camarillo patrol deputies responded to a theft in progress at a retail establishment within the Camarillo Premium Outlets.
When arriving deputies located the suspect vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic enforcement stop, the driver fled at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, entering northbound US Highway 101. During the ensuing pursuit, occupants inside the fleeing vehicle discarded stolen retail goods out of the windows onto the active freeway lanes.
The pursuit continued east into the City of Thousand Oaks before deputies terminated the chase due to the suspect's reckless driving and the severe risk posed to public safety. Deputies with the Camarillo Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) later located the suspect vehicle parked and unoccupied in Thousand Oaks.
Subsequent investigative work by the Camarillo and Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Units (SEU) formally identified Nunez as a primary suspect driving the vehicle during the May incident.
As detectives expanded their inquiry, they discovered that Nunez and her co-conspirators were actively targeting retail storefronts across a broad geographic footprint, executing grand thefts in Ventura, Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties.
"Detectives from Camarillo SEU and DEU began a lengthy investigation into Nunez and the unknown second suspect. During the investigation, detectives were made aware that Nunez and her co-conspirator were not only committing crimes in Ventura County, but also in Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties," the Ventura County Sheriff's Office reported.
Undercover Surveillance Leads to Outlet Arrests
On July 23, 2026, at approximately 2:25 p.m., detectives received intelligence that the same vehicle utilized during the May freeway pursuit had returned to Ventura County and was parked at the Camarillo Premium Outlets.
Multiple specialized law enforcement groups—including the Camarillo Special Enforcement Unit, Directed Enforcement Unit, and Camarillo Investigations Unit—converged on the shopping center to establish physical surveillance.
Investigators positively identified Nunez in the driver's seat of the vehicle alongside a second male associate, later identified as Shaupingahua. When Nunez exited the car, detectives moved in and took her into custody without incident. Detectives simultaneously located and detained Shaupingahua inside a nearby retail store.
A search of the vehicle yielded approximately $4,500 worth of newly stolen retail items gathered from multiple stores throughout the outlet center.
Felony Charges and Ongoing Investigations
Both suspects were transported to county custody and booked into the Ventura County Sheriff's Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura on multiple felony counts:
- California Penal Code § 490.4(a): Organized Retail Theft
- California Penal Code § 182(a)(1): Felony Conspiracy to Commit a Crime
Sheriff's officials noted that the second co-conspirator involved in the initial May pursuit was not present during the July 23 arrests. Detectives are actively pursuing leads to identify and apprehend that individual at a later date.
Impact of Organized Retail Theft on Local Businesses
Organized retail theft continues to present a persistent challenge for major commercial hubs throughout Southern California. Shopping developments like the Camarillo Premium Outlets attract regional organized rings that utilize getaway vehicles, spotters, and secondary markets to clear stolen inventory across county lines.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office emphasized that dedicated units like the Directed Enforcement Unit and Special Enforcement Unit remain focused on tracking organized retail crews across county borders to protect local retailers and consumers.
Sheriff's representatives expressed gratitude to community members and local store security personnel whose real-time reports assisted detectives in locating the suspects during their return to the city.
What's Next
Both Nunez and Shaupingahua remain held in county custody pending their upcoming court appearances in Ventura County Superior Court, where the Ventura County District Attorney's Office will evaluate formal felony complaints.
Anyone with additional information regarding this retail theft ring or the outstanding suspect from the May 2026 pursuit is urged to contact Deputy Cody Clobes at (805) 388-5113 or Detective Jonathan Reyes at (805) 388-5118. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).