'South American Crime Gang' Behind Recent Montco Break-Ins: Police

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A series of burglaries from homes in Montgomery County and around the region have been committed by what local law enforcement agencies are calling "South American Theft Groups," police announced.

Police described the perpetrators has "highly organized criminal enterprises" that travel from community to community and state to state. Numerous local municipalities have reported incidents they've traced back to these groups, including Schuylkill Township, Upper Providence, and Abington.

"These groups often employ advanced techniques to conceal their activities and typically target expensive homes, particularly those owned by Asian Americans," the Upper Providence Police Department shared in a recent statement. "While these groups are often unrelated, they share similar methods in their operations."

The groups, also known by law enforcement by the acronym SATG, typically target jewelry, watches, designer merchandise, cash, and gold bars.

SATG typically includes individuals posing as"tourists" from South America, and some individuals are from Colombia, but that is not always the case. Some members of the gangs are from the United States. In other places like California and Virginia, the group has specifically targeted wealthy homes.

The FBI dedicated a task force to the group, and they have surfaced nearby recently outside Pittsburgh and in Chester County.