The California Lottery has expressed gratitude for the successful outcome of a collaborative investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect involved in a prolonged burglary spree targeting lottery tickets. The investigation, which involved the Camarillo Police Department Investigations Bureau, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Lottery’s Security and Law Enforcement Division, resulted in the identification and arrest of Raul Jr. Najera.
Carolyn Becker, a spokesperson for the California Lottery, emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of their games and the trust of their retail partners. “The California Lottery is committed to protecting the integrity of our games and our retail partners who sell them,” Becker said. She highlighted the mission of raising supplemental funding for California public education, which relies on public trust.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department announced earlier this week that the District Attorney has filed charges against Najera, who is accused of orchestrating a multi-county burglary spree targeting small businesses for California Lottery tickets. The crime wave, which dates back years, included five targeted burglaries in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks between July 2024 and July 2025. Small-business owners were left with shattered glass, broken gates, and thousands of stolen scratchers.
In August, Najera was apprehended by LAPD investigators in Los Angeles during a lottery ticket burglary. He is currently held at the Los Angeles County Jail, with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office coordinating with LASO to facilitate his transfer to Ventura County, where he faces five felony burglary charges.
The California Lottery expressed appreciation for the law enforcement investigators who supported the case, underscoring their commitment to transparency, security, and integrity.