Photo: Richard Martin Loots
Santa Barbara County – If ever a criminal had the appropriate surname for the conduct of his illegal activity, 46-year-old Oceano resident Richard Martin Loots—arrested while in possession of a substantial cache of stolen loot–is that man.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, Loots was arrested on March 27th as the “serial antique shop burglary suspect” sought by law enforcement in connection with the March 23rd report of items stolen from Santa Maria’s Vintage Antique Mall.
Loot’s loot
Detectives were soon on the trail of those purloined goods and discovered that Loots was “going to various antique shops” throughout San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County and gathering loot which he would then attempt to resell.
Loots was contacted on the 27th, at which time he was found to be in possession of suspected stolen property including “collector’s coins, brooches, earrings, necklaces, pendants, watches, decorative boxes, and other antique items.”
He was taken into custody arrested for an active Post-Release Community Supervision No-Bail Felony Warrant. He was then transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was additionally booked on charges of commercial burglary, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and being a felon in possession of tear gas.
Loots remains in custody and is held without bail pursuant to multiple violations of his probation terms.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department
