Southern California Officials Announce 7 Arrests in Connection with LA-Area Burglaries
Investigators say the suspects used hidden cameras and WiFi jammers, and one defendant faces 15 burglary counts in crimes spanning 2025 and 2026.
- On Wednesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, and Ventura County Sheriff Robert Luna announced charges against seven individuals for Southland home burglaries allegedly using high-tech tactics to target affluent residences.
- Coordinated crews conduct extensive research via social media to identify vacationing victims, often placing DoorDash bags on porches to verify occupancy. Suspects allegedly use burner phones and rental cars secured through fraudulent identities.
- Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor, also known as Kevin Diaz, faces 15 counts of first-degree residential burglary. Authorities also charged Christopher Sanchez, Owen Rivera-Chacon, Edisson Fabian Boyaca, Wilmar Santiago Castelblanco-Robles, Cristian Rios-Cuadros, and Alan Rolando Rodriguez-Pulido with similar crimes.
- Detectives recovered jewelry, luxury handbags, and a WiFi jamming device during the investigation. McDonnell said, "We hear the community's concerns and we are acting quickly," as deputies tracked crews into Santa Clarita after recent crimes in the San Fernando Valley.
- Luna displayed a hidden camera disguised in a turf-covered box, warning, "What's in it is a phone and a camera with extra batteries." Authorities urge residents to use hard-wired security systems and notify neighbors when planning to travel.
19 Articles
19 Articles
String of burglaries rocking LA residential area committed by South American gangs, DA says – Democratic Accent
Seven people are facing felony charges in connection with a string of organized residential burglaries targeting homes across Los Angeles County, including at least 20 break-ins tied to crews operating throughout the San Fernando Valley, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the suspects are accused of carrying out “brazen, calculated and predatory” crimes that left victims feeling unsafe inside …
L.A. County DA, sheriff review multi-county burglary probe
At a press conference headed by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office Wednesday, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna described the recent arrests of suspects in an investigation into a multi-county burglary ring, including three who are suspected in a Newhall burglary. District […]
Southland Authorities Arrest 7 in Connection withString of Residential Burglaries
Authorities announced criminal charges Wednesday against seven people in connection with a series of home burglaries across the Southland, saying the culprits are allegedly part of sophisticated burglary rings using high-tech tactics to target their victims. Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor, also known as Kevin Diaz, is facing the largest number of charges — 15 counts of first-degree residential burglary, three counts of attempted first-degree res…
New York Post
String of burglaries rocking LA residential area committed by South American gangs, DA says
Seven South American gang members, including four Colombian nationals, were arrested in the Los Angeles area for home invasion burglaries targeting residents.
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