San Fernando Valley Guitar Bandit Busted, Police Say

PASADENA, CA — Detectives investigating a string of guitar thefts from shops in Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley believe they've closed the case with the arrest of a 38-year-old parolee-at-large who's facing a half-dozen felony charges.

The suspect, Enrique Jason Velasco, dubbed the alleged "Guitar Bandit" by investigators, was arrested last Wednesday in Sun Valley.

Investigators describe him as a career criminal "suspected of brazenly walking out without paying for the guitars and later pawning them for cash," according to Pasadena police Lt. John Luna.

"Detectives from Pasadena Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department North Hollywood and LAPD Topanga Division had suspected Velasco since September, when the guitar thefts first landed on their radar," Luna said. "With the help of store owners, who exchanged surveillance photos of Velasco and his getaway car with each other and the police, a break in the case came when a camera caught his full license plate number. The license plate came back to an acquaintance of Velasco's in North Hollywood."

Pasadena police Detectives Victor Cass and Kourtney Zilbert obtained search warrants that were served at locations in North Hollywood and a motel in Sun Valley, where Velasco and a female accomplice were taken into custody, Luna said.

"A cache of evidence was recovered, including a guitar, drugs and money," the lieutenant said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has charged Velasco with six felony counts, including grand theft, identity theft and identity theft with 10 or more victims, Luna said.

Velasco's bail was set at $120,000, but he remains in custody at the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles on a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation hold, according to sheriff's jail records.

He is next due in court in Pasadena on Nov. 30, according to the sheriff's department.

City News Service; Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash