Scottsdale Police announce arrest of 'South American Theft Group' members
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Seven members of an alleged "South American Theft Group" (SATG) were arrested on May 23 for two burglaries.
The group is accused of committing both burglaries on May 23.
One was in Tempe at a home located near Southern Avenue and Loop 101 and the other in Mesa near Brown Road and Val Vista Drive.
They are also accused of burglaries in California, Oregon and Washington.
7 charged in suspected organized crime theft ring
Scottsdale Police are expected to release more details on May 28 on a suspected organized theft ring out of South America. Seven people who were arrested are allegedly connected to the group. FOX 10s Irene Snyder reports.
The backstory:
According to Scottsdale Police, they learned from other agencies the group was headed to Arizona and booked a short-term rental near Camelback and Miller roads.
Police set up surveillance on the rental and followed the group as they coordinated and executed burglaries at the two homes.
The home in Tempe was burglarized around 12:25 p.m., and the Mesa home was burglarized about an hour later.
At 4 p.m. that day, SWAT team aided in conducting a search warrant at the property where all seven suspects were taken into custody and evidence of the burglaries was recovered by detectives.
South American Theft Group members arrested
A group of seven suspects involved in two residential burglaries in Arizona were connected to similar incidents in California, Oregon and Washington state. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has more.
The seven suspects include five people in their 20s and two in their 30s:
- 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
- 25-year-old Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique
Scottsdale Police say these incidents are similar but separate from the "dinnertime burglaries" that went on last year.
"We must delineate between that group and groups such as these seven Colombia nationals who came to the United States to commit crimes and came to Arizona to victimize our community for their own benefit," said Scottsdale Police Assistant Chief Chris Watson.
Alleged South American Theft Group members arrested
During a news conference on May 28, Scottsdale Police released more details on the arrests of seven suspected members of the "South American Theft Group." The suspects are accused of committing burglaries in the Valley, as well as other states.
Dig deeper:
Authorities allege some would act as Uber Eats drivers or dog walkers, but were really lookouts while others broke into homes.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell says she was lucky to keep them behind bars with what she calls an outdated bond system.
"Under that matrix, the score showed that each of these individuals should have been released on their own recognizance or with no bond whatsoever. These are individuals who not only have no real ties to our community, but they have no ties to our country except to come here to commit crimes," Mitchell said.
Some of the items stolen included expensive watches, jewelry, and shoes that the group planned to sell off, until a tip came in from police in Burbank, California.
"This kind of intelligent sharing means so much when we can get connected and get tips on a different crews like this and then make the arrests and help solve the crimes and help restore families, and help basically bring justice for these victims," Scottsdale Police Sgt. Aaron Bolin said.
Each suspect is being held on a $150,000 bond.
Mitchell says MCAO hopes it can keep the suspects behind bars as the whole legal process plays out.
What they're saying:
A woman who lives across the street from where the bust happened says she's still processing what unfolded on her block.
"You didn't have time to get scared because it was happening so fast. It was exciting and scary at the same time," Linda Taber said.
She wasn't expecting to see police and a SWAT vehicle arresting seven people at the short-term rental property across the street, but now the memories are vivid.
"I get to the door and I see all the lights flashing, the speaker going on and, of course, the pepper bombs going off and the smoke and then them ordering us back in the house," Taber said.
Taber says the suspects, who were there for several days before the arrest, were not social and rarely came out during the day.
"Even when they arrived, they arrived at night. They had all the blinds and the curtains shut and tight, just really closed up," Taber said.
She says she feels for the victims.
"I feel sorry for the people, because they work so hard to have their belongings and to have stuff like that taken, and not only that, but it ruins your home. It's not your home no more. It's been invaded," she said.
The police are giving advice on ways to protect your property and the surrounding homes.
"You don't even have to have a formal neighborhood watch, but if you have some kind of relationship with your neighbors, and you see something that looks out of place at your neighbor's house, go ahead and call," Sgt. Aaron Bolin said.
Taber argued that the "good neighbor" policy isn't what it used to be on her block.
"There's hardly any neighbors left. So you have no one to even look out for you to say, 'Oh, there's somebody suspicious or someone's trying to break in,' because they're just Airbnb'ers. They change every two to four days," she said.
Taber says she's just glad no one was hurt during the entire ordeal.
‘This is getting ridiculous’
She wants there to be more vetting and security from short-term rental companies. But what can actually be done?
Short-term rentals, which are popular in Scottsdale, are required to obtain an annual license from the city.
Police say most of the people who rent these spots are respectful and follow the rules, but there are some people who choose these properties to host parties.
"I'm just hoping the city can do something, because this is getting ridiculous," Taber said. "I wish I didn't have Airbnbs. It's the worst thing."
Officers do say there's been a higher rate of reported fraudulent rentals made within 48-hours of check-in. Scottsdale Police said says some high-end companies in Scottsdale insist on meeting renters at the home.
The department encourages property owners to be vigilant with matching IDs and payment methods.
"That's not something that short-term rental companies will always validate on their own, it's something that the owners of the management companies would want to look into to make sure they're getting the same person in there that's actually paying for that reservation," Sgt. Bolin said.
FOX 10 reached out to Airbnb for comment on the policies for vetting renters, and for any comment on the arrests made at the Scottsdale property. We are waiting for a response.
What's next:
The stolen property, including a French bulldog believed to have been taken during a burglary in California, will be returned to the victims.
What you can do:
If a community member has a concern about a short-term rental in Scottsdale, you can call the police department's non-emergency line at 480-312-5000.
Click here to learn more about short-term rentals in Scottsdale.