EL RIO, Calif. — Law enforcement authorities are appealing to the public and the local mobile vending community for assistance in identifying a suspect caught on video burglarizing food trucks and stealing critical operational equipment in El Rio, public safety officials announced.
The commercial burglary and grand theft investigation is being handled by patrol officers and property crime detectives assigned to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters Patrol Station.
The thefts targeted small business owners operating within the unincorporated El Rio neighborhood located immediately adjacent to the city limits of Oxnard.
Early Morning Food Truck Burglary and Generator Theft
According to an official incident advisory issued by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a reported theft on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in the 2500 block of Cortez Street in El Rio.
Upon arriving at the scene, investigating deputies made contact with local business owners and learned that a thief had targeted two separate mobile food vendors parked along the commercial block during the early morning hours.
Deputies determined that at approximately 4:40 a.m., an unidentified suspect unlawfully entered the first food truck, ransacked the interior, and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the register area.
Moments later, the same suspect approached a secondary food truck—described by community members as a well-known staple within the regional food truck industry—and forcibly detached two commercial power generators.
The theft of the generators caused significant financial loss and operational disruption to the small business, which relies on mobile power units to power refrigeration and cooking equipment.
Surveillance Video Evidence and Detailed Suspect Description
Working in close coordination with neighboring food truck vendors and nearby property owners, investigating deputies recovered clear security camera footage documenting the crime as it unfolded.
Surveillance video captured the suspect actively maneuvering around the vehicles and fleeing the 2500 block of Cortez Street with the stolen property.
Sheriff's detectives released a detailed physical description of the male suspect in hopes that members of the community or regional business owners might recognize him:
- Ethnicity/Gender: Hispanic male
- Headwear: New York Mets baseball cap
- Face Covering: Black and gray surgical face mask
- Upper Clothing: Black T-shirt worn over a white undershirt
- Lower Clothing: Standard blue jeans
- Footwear: Dark athletic sneakers
"Deputies learned that two generators had been stolen from a local food truck business that has become a staple in the food truck community. Deputies also determined that another nearby food truck had been entered and cash was stolen," the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office detailed in a public advisory.
"Investigators are asking anyone who may recognize the suspect or have additional surveillance footage from the area around the time of the thefts to contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. Please share this post with our local food truck community," public safety officials added.
Impact on Local Food Vendors and Investigator Contact Information
Commercial power generators are critical lifelines for mobile food vendors, often costing thousands of dollars to replace while forcing business owners to halt operations during repairs.
Public safety representatives are urging regional food truck operators across El Rio, Oxnard, Ventura, and Port Hueneme to ensure their power units are secured with heavy-duty commercial locks, GPS tracking tags, and secondary steel chain enclosures.
Sheriff's detectives are specifically requesting that business owners or residents living near the 2500 block of Cortez Street review private security cameras, Ring doorbells, or commercial dashcam video recorded between 4:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on September 5.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspect, the location of the stolen generators, or additional surveillance footage is strongly encouraged to contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters Patrol Station dispatch at (805) 654-9511.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), where information leading to an arrest and felony complaint may qualify for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Official releases and video updates are available on the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Official Facebook Page.