They Cut Through Dr. Conkey’s Roof, Drilled Into 5 Star Jewelry and Stole $2.5 Million — But It Didn’t End How They Expected
Daniel Jordan 
They Got ‘Em — And They’re Going to Prison
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Three members of a burglary crew head to Ventura County jail after a coordinated commercial break-in that cost a Simi Valley jewelry store between $2 million and $2.5 million. The sentences follow months of investigation and court proceedings, closing a case that drew attention across the county.
The crime happened on May 25, 2025. According to prosecutors, the crew climbed onto the roof of Dr. Conkey’s Candy & Coffee Shop. They cut through the ceiling and lowered themselves inside using ropes and ladders. They disabled cameras and opened a safe. Then they bored through the wall into the neighboring 5-Star Jewelry & Watch Repair, spent hours cutting into a second safe, and left before dawn with jewelry, gold bullion, cash, and customer heirlooms.
Store owner Jonathan Youssef estimated the loss at between $2 million and $2.5 million. None of the safe’s contents carry insurance. His father emigrated from Egypt in the early 1970s and built the store over decades. Much of what was taken cannot be replaced.
The Sentences
Heidi Trujillo, 26, receives four years. Manuel David Ibarra, 38, and Camilo Antonio Aguilar Lara, 32, each receive four years and four months. All three plead guilty to conspiracy and related felony charges, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times. A fourth defendant, Sergio Andres Mejía-Machuca, awaits sentencing.
The court orders $4 million in restitution to 5-Star Jewelry. Additional amounts remain pending.
Prosecutors tie two of the defendants to a separate burglary at Simi Valley Pawn Brokers days before the jewelry store hit. The pattern — commercial targets, ceiling entry, coordinated safe work — ran consistent across both crimes.
Commercial burglaries at this scale are not common. The planning involved — roof access, rope entry, wall penetration, safe work across two businesses in a single night — points to a crew that operates with experience and preparation. The investigation had to match that.
It did.
For Simi business owners, the outcome is practical. The city followed through. Law enforcement built the case. Prosecutors carried it to conviction. The court imposed real sentences and real restitution.
5-Star Jewelry and Dr. Conkey’s both remain open. Youssef continues to serve customers. The shopping center where the break-in happened keeps operating.
The fourth defendant faces sentencing soon. The restitution process continues. The case is not fully closed — but the result is clearly positive – They got ’em.
