A Cross-Border Burglary Ring Stashed $65K Cash, Jewelry, and Handbags In A Local Airbnb: Police

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A traffic stop and foot chase on Tuesday ended with the arrest of six men police identified as members of an international burglary ring that targets luxury homes and goods.

Santa Rosa Police Department said the men were involved in a string of robberies in Sonoma and Mendocino counties during the past week.

Three men discovered during a traffic stop led investigators to an Airbnb in the northwest part of Santa Rosa.

There, authorities arrested a fourth man, who tried to flee.

While police were searching the house, two more men suspected of being part of the group arrived.
They, too, tried to flee and were arrested.

Detectives found evidence and almost all the stolen property from at least four of the burglaries in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

Police returned $65,000 in cash and tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry to the victims.
The six men from the Los Angeles area are suspected of being part of the South American Theft Groups, or SATGs.

The FBI describes SATGs as a sophisticated but diffuse group of "associates" mostly from South American countries who select high-profile targets, expensive homes, and high-value, easily transportable goods like cash, jewelry, and designer handbags.

Authorities also announced on Tuesday that they had detained nine Chileans they claim are connected to SATGs in Jersey City and Princeton, New Jersey.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office assisted in the Santa Rosa investigation.
Authorities set the bail for five of the men at $250,000-$300,000. No bail was set for a sixth man.

Also See : https://patch.com/new-jersey/p...