Southern California officials have arrested a man suspected of orchestrating a yearslong burglary scheme that targeted small California Lottery retailers and stole thousands of scratch tickets.
Raul Jr Najera, 45, of Los Angeles was arrested in August by members of the Los Angeles Police Department as part of an investigation code-named Operation Jackpot.
Najera is accused of leading and organizing a burglary scheme that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage to small business owners, including “mom and pop” stores in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks.
“Small business owners woke up to shattered glass, broken gates, and thousands of stolen lottery scratchers. Based on evidence and investigative tools, Najera was identified as one of the suspects,” a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office states.
Sheriff’s officials allege Najera orchestrated the multi-county burglaries with a rotating cast and crew of accomplices utilizing various getaway vehicles.
Their plan was simple: target vulnerable stores, cause damage and make off with unsold California Lottery scratchers. They would then redeem those stolen scratchers hours later, usually in South Los Angeles, officials said.
Najera was previously arrested for a similar scheme targeting Camarillo businesses in 2020. This current crew has been linked to at least five burglaries in Ventura County from July 2024 to July 2025, authorities said. They may be involved in several others in other parts of the region.
Najera was arrested by LAPD officers on Aug. 12 in the middle of one of these burglaries, officials said, but charges weren’t filed in Ventura County until last week.
Najera is currently in custody in L.A. County, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of transferring him north to face five felony burglary charges.
The investigation remains ongoing and detectives are working to identify and apprehend Najera’s alleged co-conspirators. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.