THEATER CAPER RATES NO KUDOS.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - A break-in at a movie theater Thursday drew no snickers from sheriff's deputies who said the caper proved a dud when five teens got caught with their hands in the candy jar.

Two adults and three juveniles were arrested after a security guard spotted them inside the Canyon Country Edwards Theatres shortly after 6 a.m. No money was taken, but candy and sodas were missing.

``We take all crime seriously,'' said Deputy Scott Miller.

``Anytime they do a burglary, it's a serious (offense), whether they are stealing candy or television.''

Juan Cerda, 18, of Canyon Country was arrested at the scene. An unidentified 17-year-old was found hiding behind a curtain - by a police dog that bit him.

An adult and two juvenile suspects escaped, but the outcome was no payday for them. Hours later they were arrested as they sat around a pool at an apartment complex, deputies said.

Luis Bizarreta, 22, of Canyon Country was held at the local sheriff's station. The minors were released to their parents.

``Every one of them said that they were just chillin','' Deputy Dan Finn of the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station. ``They were smoking dope, eating candy and drinking soda.''

The five - one who was a former theater employee - had forced open a rear door and entered the theater at about 3 a.m., deputies said.

Believing they had made a whopper of a score, the group partied until they were spotted by the security guard, deputies said.

Deputies said the break-in may have been a comedy of errors, but they predicted the five suspects would spend time, good-and-plenty of it, paying for what they did.