Grand theft avocado: 3 arrested in $300K California theft
Southern California authorities say three workers at a produce company have been arrested in the theft of up to $300,000 of avocados
In this June 14, 2017 photo released by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office shows suspect Joseph Valenzuela, 38, of Santa Paula, Calif. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department says three workers at a Southern California produce company were arrested Wednesday in the theft of up to $300,000 worth of avocados. Valenzuela, Carlos Chavez and Rahim Leblanc are each charged with grand theft of fruit and are being held on bails of $250,000. (Ventura County Sheriff's Office via AP)
OXNARD, Calif. (AP) -- Police are calling it grand theft avocado.
Three produce company workers have been arrested in the theft of up to $300,000 worth of avocados, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Thirty-eight-year-old Joseph Valenzuela, 28-year-old Carlos Chavez and 30-year-old Rahim Leblanc were each charged with grand theft of fruit and were being held in jail on bail of $250,000 each. They were arrested Wednesday.
It was unclear whether they have attorneys.
Detectives began investigating the suspects in May after receiving a tip that they were conducting unauthorized cash sales of avocados from a ripening facility in the city of Oxnard owned by the Mission Produce company.
The company estimated the avocado loss at about $300,000, the sheriff's office said.
"We take these kinds of thefts seriously. It's a big product here and in California," sheriff's Sgt. John Franchi told the Los Angeles Times. "Everybody loves avocados."