Final gang sweep arrests total 52

BARSTOW —Police arrested a total of 52 people as part of a multi-agency crime sweep on Friday.

Those arrested were booked in jail on suspicion of a variety of offenses, from possession of stolen property, vehicle theft and drug offenses to parole violations, according to a Barstow Police Department report.

The sweep, which was conducted by about 78 officers from Barstow and the other agencies involved in the county’s High Desert gang task force, began at 3 p.m. and lasted until nearly midnight. It was conducted in two parts, first targeting warrant arrests and checking on people on parole and probation, then expanding to look for evidence of crime throughout the city.

Barstow police are part of the San Bernardino Movement Against Street Hoodlums (SMASH) Unit, in which police officers undergo special training on gang issues. In return, the police departments with SMASH units agree to assist other departments in conducting crime sweeps.

According to the Barstow jail, some of the suspects were booked in Barstow and others sent to the West Valley Detention Center.