Deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department arrested a total of 56 individuals – 19 of them juveniles – in connection with what authorities are calling a “car club sideshow incident.”
According to a media release from SBSD, a deputy from the Highland station was en route to a call on May 11 when he encountered a street takeover at the intersection of Highland and Victoria avenues in San Bernardino.
“As the deputy attempted to disburse the crowd, spectators surrounded the marked Sheriff’s patrol vehicle and proceeded to vandalize it,” SBSD said. “The spectators damaged the windshield and body panels of the patrol vehicle.”
A 15-year-old from Menifee was arrested in connection with the vandalism of the squad car on May 24, law enforcement officials said.
Deputies extensively investigated the presence of several car clubs in the High Desert area and found that they all showed similar behavior of street takeovers and sideshows in videos posted to social media, the sheriff’s department said, adding that some of the participants openly displayed firearms in some of their posts.
Authorities were able to identify one of the car club meetup locations as a private property in the city of Adelanto. Using evidence obtained through their investigation, deputies authored and served several search warrants in nearby Victorville which yielded stolen firearms and a stolen Dodge Hellcat.
The department launched Operation Consequences on Saturday, and personnel from several sheriff’s stations, SBSD’s Gangs/Narcotics Division and the San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force (SANCATT) conducted a “suppression operation” at an abandoned property in Adelanto.
“The High Desert car clubs entered the private property and performed sideshow maneuvers,” deputies stated. “Investigators detained participants and spectators as they fled from the location.”
In total, 37 adults and 19 juveniles were arrested, SBSD confirmed. The adults were taken to the High Desert Detention Center before being cited and released.
The juveniles were taken to the Victorville City Sheriff’s Station, issued a citation and released back into the custody of their families.
Additionally, 23 vehicles were towed and another stolen vehicle – a Chevy Camaro – was located.
“This type of recklessness won’t be tolerated in San Bernardino County,” San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said. “Arrests will be assured, and cars will be impounded if these street takeovers continue.”
Anyone with information on the May 11 incident or the apprehension of the suspects is asked to contact the Victorville Sheriff’s Station by calling 760-241-2911 or calling Sheriff’s Dispatch at 760-956-5001.
To submit an anonymous tip, call the We-Tip hotline at 1-800-782-7463 or visit the We-Tip website.