THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A juvenile robbery suspect who fled from deputies into brush near homes in Thousand Oaks was located with a sheriff's drone thermal camera and taken into custody, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Read the Sheriff's Office release: https://nixle.us/HSMS3
Robbery Reported, Suspect Fled, Drone Deployed
On the evening of October 17, 2026, Thousand Oaks Patrol deputies responded to a reported robbery in the 500 block of North Ventu Park Road.
An employee of a local business reported that a male suspect entered the business, made threats and gestures of possessing a weapon, and stole property from the store.
The employee provided deputies with a description of the suspect.
Deputies searching the area located a suspect matching the description in a nearby shopping center.
The suspect fled on foot from deputies and was last seen entering an open space area with heavy brush that bordered nearby homes.
Because of the rugged terrain, a member of the Sheriff's Office Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) team responded to assist in locating the suspect.
Arrest Made, Property Returned, Case Continues
The UAS member used the thermal camera capabilities of the drone to locate the suspect hiding in the brush and guided deputies to him.
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Deputies safely took the suspect into custody for robbery, Penal Code section 211.
The stolen property was located and returned to the business.
The suspect is a 17-year-old male from Newbury Park. He is not named in the Sheriff's Office release.
The Unmanned Aerial Systems team uses small unmanned aircraft to locate missing or fleeing individuals and to capture video and photographic evidence, according to the release.
While on duty, UAS personnel carry the aircraft in their patrol vehicles, giving deputies the ability to quickly deploy an aerial resource while waiting for a helicopter to respond.
The aircraft can also search for missing persons, support search and rescue efforts, and search for dangerous individuals who may be hiding in rugged terrain or inside structures before deputies enter an area themselves.
The arrest is an allegation, not a conviction. The case was handled by Thousand Oaks Patrol and the Unmanned Aerial Systems Team, under report number 26-136909.
Anyone with information about this crime can call Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. Callers may remain anonymous.
Sources
Ventura County Sheriff's Office, "Robbery Suspect Arrested with Assistance of UAS," news release dated November 2, 2026: https://nixle.us/HSMS3