Four members of a burglary crew have pleaded guilty for their roles in a $3 million jewelry store heist in Ventura County.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office identified the suspects, all Chilean nationals, as Heidy Nickolt Trujillo, 26; Camilo Antonio Aguliar Lara, 32; Sergio Andres Meji-Machuca, 27; and Manuel David Ibarra, 38.
The group admitted to burglarizing a jewelry store and a nearby coffee shop in Simi Valley in late May 2025.
Earlier that month, the suspects planned to target 5 Star Jewelry & Watch Repair, a family-owned business on Cochran Street.
On May 20, three individuals arrived at the store in a white Volvo SUV. Two of them conducted surveillance, looking into the jewelry store through the front window.
They then entered Dr. Conkey’s Candy and Coffee shop next door to assess the placement of surveillance cameras and inspect the shared walls between the two businesses.
On May 25, the crew returned to the shopping plaza carrying a ladder and rope. They placed the ladder against the exterior of the coffee shop and cut through the roof to gain entry.
The suspects drilled a hole through the shared wall between the coffee shop and the jewelry store to access the store’s safe. One person spray-painted a surveillance camera to conceal the break-in.
Prosecutors said the group ransacked the store and fled with more than $3 million worth of jewelry, watches, cash and other valuables. They transported the stolen items to a home in Los Angeles County.
The theft devastated the family that owned the business. Store owner Jonathan Youssef said his father built the shop from the ground up 25 years ago and was preparing to retire before losing everything they owned.
Simi Valley police arrested all four suspects on June 10. Authorities reportedly found some of them wearing stolen items, and officers also recovered a stolen firearm.
On Jan. 21, 2026, all four defendants pleaded guilty to multiple charges. Ibarra, Mejía-Machuca and Lara each pleaded guilty to felony counts of conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and possession of stolen property.
Ibarra and Machuca also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and felony vandalism connected to a burglary at Simi Valley Pawn Brokers on May 23, 2025.
Trujillo pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to possess stolen property for her role in the jewelry store heist.
All four defendants also admitted special allegations, including losses exceeding $1 million and crimes committed in concert with others, along with the aggravating factor that the crimes demonstrated planning, sophistication and professionalism.
“This was not a crime of opportunity,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “These defendants planned carefully, conducted surveillance, and used specialized tools and techniques to carry out a highly sophisticated burglary that caused enormous financial harm. Their guilty pleas ensure accountability and reflect the strength of the evidence in this case.”
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, when each defendant faces at least four years in prison. All four remain in custody on $100,000 bail.