Seven Colombian nationals, suspected in a string of so-called “burglary tourism” home break-ins in Burbank and other Southern California cities, were arrested last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., authorities said Wednesday.
The thefts appear to be part of a trend involving South American groups, whose members enter the U.S. on tourist visas and then target wealthy residences. The groups often steal jewelry and other high-value items that can be easily exchanged for cash, according to police, and may evade home security systems by using devices to interrupt Wi-Fi signals.
The seven suspects were arrested in Arizona on Friday and are linked to burglaries in Burbank and other cities in California, Oregon and Washington, police said.
Officials with the Burbank Police Department said in a news release that they worked with Scottsdale police to share descriptions of the suspects’ cars after Burbank investigators suspected the group was headed to Arizona.
Scottsdale police conducted surveillance on the group as residences were burglarized in Tempe and Mesa, Ariz. The suspects were arrested at a short-term rental in Scottsdale after police served a search warrant at the site, according to authorities.
The suspects, who are being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond, are Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23, Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26, Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38, Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26, Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28, Lady Johanna Gueito, 32, and Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique, 25, according to Burbank police.
Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said one of the female members of the group used a dog as part of the group’s cover, walking a stolen French bulldog to blend in with the neighborhood while acting as a lookout.
The bulldog was taken by the group during a burglary in California and was among the stolen items recovered, according to Scottsdale police. The dog is being reunited with its owner, according to police, who didn’t reveal what city the dog was taken from.
KNXV-TV in Phoenix showed video of officers in armored vehicles pulling up in front of a residence. Later, people can be seen sitting handcuffed on the ground. Officers are also seen trying to catch a loose French bulldog running to a neighbor’s house.
Several Colombian nationals suspected of being part of a South American crime ring operating in Los Angeles County were arrested last year in Glendale. Glendale police said that they found several jewelry boxes, along with a construction hard hat and a vest, which police say may have been used to get near a home without drawing attention.
Last month, two members of a South American group were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after police found millions of dollars’ worth of stolen cargo in a San Fernando Valley storage unit, according to the LAPD.
About $1.2 million worth of goods, including clothing and speakers, was found in the container. Police also intercepted stolen bitcoin-mining computers, valued at $2.7 million, headed to Hong Kong as part of the operation.
Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.
