Three people suspected of being part of an international crime ring were arrested in connection with a burglary in Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced Wednesday.
LASD said at least three people burglarized a home on the 24000 block of Matthew Place in Santa Clarita on Friday, getting away with jewelry and cash. After the burglary, sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle the suspects were traveling in.
Two of the suspects in the car ran away, with officials being able to catch up to one of them. Although the other person who ran initially got away, sheriff’s deputies were ultimately able to arrest three people.
The individuals who were arrested were identified as Owen Rivera-Chacon, Christopher Sanchez, and Edisson Boyaca, LASD said. Detectives believe they belong to the South American Theft Group (SATG).
All three suspects were booked at Santa Clarita Station and charged with first-degree burglary.
According to the department, SATG members come from Chile and Colombia and are described as highly coordinated groups that “increasingly target affluent neighborhoods and conduct both residential and commercial burglaries with advanced methods and planning.”
Members frequently place surveillance cameras near homes they plan to target, rent vehicles under fake names, use Wi-Fi jammers and communicate through burner phones. LASD warns that SATG tends to target homes near parks, trails and golf courses to make for easier escape.