Police use decoy vehicle to catch suspected car burglar

Two vehicle burglaries occurred in the parking lot of Corriganville Park at 7001 Smith Road, Simi Valley on May 4 and 5.

The side windows of the vehicles had been smashed to allow the removal of property which had been left visible inside the vehicles.

To apprehend the burglars, on May 6 Simi Valley Police Department personnel parked a decoy vehicle in the area where crimes occurred. Visible property was left inside the car and police set up surveillance.

At about noon, a male suspect was seen looking into the vehicle. He briefly walked away and returned moments later with a screwdriver that he used to break a side window and remove a camera and suitcase. The suspect drove away from the area and was stopped by officers on Katherine Road.

The suspect was identified as Steve Harriman, 24, of Van Nuys.

He was arrested without incident and the stolen property was recovered from inside Harriman's vehicle.

Harriman was on parole in Los Angles County for a prior conviction of carjacking. During a search of his residence, officers found stolen property taken from a residential burglary in Chatsworth on May 5 and numerous other items suspected as being stolen.

Harriman was booked at the Ventura County Main Jail for burglary and possession of stolen property.