Goleta, Calif. – A Santa Barbara man has been arrested for theft of Christmas trees from a local nursery. On Monday, December 9, 2024, deputies were informed that a suspect had taken multiple Christmas trees and wreaths from a nursery in the 100-block of S. Patterson Avenue.

Through their investigation, deputies identified the suspect as 43-year-old Matthew Johnson from Santa Barbara. On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at approximately 9:30 a.m., deputies arrested Johnson at his residence in the 4500-block of Oak Glen Drive. Deputies recovered one of the stolen trees as well as two wreaths. Johnson was booked at the Main Jail for burglary (felony). He is being held on $20,000 bail. The tree and the wreaths were returned to the nursery.