CAMARILLO, Calif. — A Los Angeles man accused of leading a burglary crew that stole thousands of California Lottery scratcher tickets from Ventura County stores has been arrested, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Raul Jr. Najera, 45, faces five counts of burglary following an investigation involving the Camarillo and Los Angeles police departments and California State Lottery investigators, officials said in an Oct. 13 news release.
Between July 2024 and July 2025, five businesses in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks were burglarized, resulting in the theft of scratcher tickets worth nearly $10,000. Deputies said Najera used a rotating crew of accomplices and a series of getaway vehicles to carry out the heists.
The stolen tickets were quickly redeemed in South Los Angeles, authorities said.
Investigators also linked Najera to a previous string of similar burglaries in Camarillo in 2020. He was caught during a theft in August 2025, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in October.
Camarillo is located about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
