Executive Summary
- Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for armed suspects following a burglary at a cannabis grow on Foothill Road.
- Two traffic collisions at nearby intersections were linked to the burglary incident.
- A shelter-in-place order was temporarily issued for Carpinteria residents but has since been lifted.
- Authorities warn that multiple suspects remain outstanding and are considered armed.
A large-scale manhunt is underway in Carpinteria, California, after an early morning burglary at a cannabis cultivation site triggered a massive law enforcement response and a temporary shelter-in-place order for local residents on Wednesday. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that while the immediate containment order has been lifted, the suspects involved in the incident remain at large and are considered armed.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, deputies responded to alerts at approximately 4:30 a.m. regarding three simultaneous active scenes. These included a burglary at a cannabis grow operation in the 4500 block of Foothill Road and two associated traffic collisions located at the intersections of Foothill Road at Santa Monica Road and Foothill Road at Cravens Lane.
Law enforcement officials immediately deployed a significant number of resources to the area, including K9 units and a County Air Support helicopter, to establish a perimeter and search for the perpetrators. Due to the potential threat posed by the suspects, authorities issued an emergency shelter-in-place order for residents in the vicinity of Foothill Road, stretching between Santa Monica Boulevard and Linden Avenue, and extending south to the 101 freeway.
Residents described being awakened by emergency alerts and the sound of overhead helicopters. One resident reported receiving a notification at 5:00 a.m. warning of "armed robbers" at a nearby marijuana facility. At 5:30 a.m., Officer Zick announced that the shelter-in-place order had been lifted; however, she explicitly warned that the danger had not passed. "Additional suspects remain outstanding and should be considered armed," the Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release.
Investigative Outlook
The active status of the suspects presents an ongoing public safety concern for the Carpinteria community, particularly as authorities have confirmed the individuals are likely armed. This incident underscores the persistent security challenges facing licensed cannabis cultivation sites, which remain high-value targets for criminal enterprises. The investigation is currently in a dynamic phase as detectives process the crash sites and the burglary location for forensic evidence that may lead to suspect identification. Residents are advised to exercise caution and report suspicious activity immediately to 911. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
