Southern California officials have arrested a man suspected of running a yearslong burglary scheme targeting small California Lottery retailers and stealing thousands of scratch tickets.
Raul Jr. Najera, 45, of Los Angeles, was arrested in August by Los Angeles Police Department officers as part of an investigation called Operation Jackpot.
Najera is accused of leading the scheme, which caused thousands of dollars in 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,” said the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials say Najera orchestrated the multi-county burglaries with a rotating group of accomplices using various getaway vehicles. Their plan involved targeting vulnerable stores, causing damage, and stealing unsold California Lottery scratchers, which were then redeemed hours later, usually in South Los Angeles.
Najera had been arrested previously for a similar scheme targeting Camarillo businesses in 2020. The current crew is linked to at least five burglaries in Ventura County between July 2024 and July 2025, and authorities suspect involvement in other regional incidents.
Najera was caught by LAPD officers on August 12 during one of the burglaries, but charges in Ventura County were filed last week. He is currently in custody in Los Angeles County, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is arranging his transfer to face five felony burglary charges.
The investigation is 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.
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