Domestic violence suspect linked to Southern California art thefts

A Thousand Oaks man who was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, multiple felony assaults and unlawful firearm possession, has also been linked to several high-end art thefts in San Bernardino County.

Ryan Bloom, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday after the Ventura County Sheriff’s SWAT team served a warrant at his home on the 1300 block of Del Verde Court. Investigators say Bloom assaulted a 33-year-old woman during a domestic dispute, at one point threatening her with a firearm.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, detectives determined Bloom had access to firearms and ammunition, despite a prior felony conviction prohibiting him possessing them. This led to the multi-unit response that ultimately resulted in his arrest.

During a search of Bloom’s home, investigators found several firearms and rounds of ammunition, as well as multiple high-value paintings that had previously been reported stolen. The paintings were traced back to a private collection, and detectives confirmed that at least one piece had been flagged in a San Bernardino property theft report earlier this year.

Bloom now faces multiple felony charges including domestic violence, assault with a firearm, false imprisonment and sexual assault, as well as several weapons violations.

He was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in downtown Ventura with bail set at $1 million. He was scheduled to appear in court again on Friday.

Officials said the Sheriff’s Office Property Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate the origin of the stolen art, including potential links to additional thefts in San Bernardino County.