Crime tourism strikes in Oak Park; homeowner strikes back

Oak Park resident Sal Mercado got here house to a pair of burglars in his Oak Park home Friday night time.

The primary burglar was simply inside his entrance door, and after a confrontation, the thief ran to a ready automotive.

However then the second burglar stumbled down Mercado’s stairs, his palms stuffed with jewellery and electronics.

“I simply didn’t give him an opportunity, simply hit him, as a result of initially, I don’t know if he has a gun, a knife, any sort of weapon, proper? You simply don’t know. Your thoughts goes loopy,” Mercado stated.

That suspect, 43-year-old Alexis Provoste, is now in custody charged with two felonies. He’s being held on the Ventura County Most important Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, and he is because of seem in courtroom on Tuesday, in accordance with jail information.

Provoste, who sustained a number of facial fractures, is a part of what the Ventura County Sheriff’s Workplace describes as a housebreaking ring from Chile.

“They’ll sometimes case neighborhoods upfront and see methods they will get out and in,” stated Deputy Ashley Barrios.

Investigators name it crime tourism. The crooks apply for visas on-line, then sometimes fly into LAX and goal owners.

“Utterly really feel violated, it was simply horrifying,” stated sufferer Denise Mercado.

Fortuitously for the Mercados in Oak Park, Sal Mercado was in a position to maintain the second burglar down till deputies arrived.

“Our neighbors have been all out, I’m yelling ‘Name 911,’ my glasses went flying … The one factor I didn’t take into consideration was, the getaway automotive bought away by this time,” he stated.

Deputies took him to jail after a visit to the hospital to be handled for his accidents.