Crime & Safety
7 'Burglary Tourists' Tied To Valley Thefts Arrested In Arizona: Police
Police tracked the suspects across state lines after tying them to burglaries in the San Fernando Valley and beyond.
BURBANK, CA — Seven people suspected of being affiliated with a South American theft ring — often referred to as "burglary tourists" — were arrested in Arizona after being tied to several West Coast burglaries, including in the San Fernando Valley, police said Tuesday.
The suspects were arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday as police served a search warrant at a short-term rental unit. There, authorities discovered evidence related to thefts in Arizona, according to the Burbank Police Department.
"Prior to the arrests, the Burbank Police Department had shared information with law enforcement partners about a SATG from Colombia suspected of committing burglaries in Burbank and other cities in California, Oregon, and Washington. The group was believed to be headed to Arizona to continue their criminal activities. The information shared included vehicle descriptions and, through investigative means, vehicles matching those descriptions were located at the short-term rental property in Scottsdale," police said in a statement.
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All seven suspects were booked into the Maricopa County Jail and are each being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond, police said.
The suspects — all residents of Colombia — were identified as 23-year-old Nicolas Rojas Leon, 26- year-old Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 38-year-old Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 26-year-old Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 28-year-old Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 32-year-old Lady Johanna Gueito, and 25-year-old Angie Paola Hernandez-Manrique, police said.
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Burbank police plan to present their investigation into local crimes to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for consideration of possible charges, police said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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