– By F. Scott Faulkner
MOORPARK, CA — A series of early morning vehicle burglaries early this month has led investigators to a Santa
Clarita man now facing multiple felony charges.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Detective Tamara Petersen,
“deputies began receiving reports of thefts from parked cars with victims discovering missing
property and unauthorized charges on their credit cards.”
The ensuing investigation indicated that some of those cards were used at a nearby business,
giving deputies a clearer timeline of the crimes.
Patrol personnel with the Moorpark Police Department gathered surveillance footage that
captured “both a vehicle and a suspect” connected to the incidents.
The Moorpark Investigations Unit took over the case as they “reviewed evidence and law enforcement
databases,” which led them to identify the suspect as Matthew Kopacz, 29, of Santa Clarita.
On February 10th, deputies and detectives located Kopacz in Santa Clarita and took him into
custody without incident.
He was transported to Ventura County, where he was booked on
suspicion of burglary, identity theft, petty theft and possession of burglary tools. He remains in
custody with his bail set at $200,000.
