Abington Township, Pennsylvania – Abington Township police have arrested four men believed to be part of a South American Theft Group, targeting high-end homes across the United States. The successful apprehension on Friday night marks a significant break in an ongoing series of residential burglaries in Meadowbrook that have been under investigation since 2021.
Authorities think these groups are consisted of people from South America
These cases were suspected to be the work of organized criminal groups originating from South American countries like Chile and Colombia. After setting up a dedicated task force and carefully analyzing the patterns of such burglaries, authorities were able to anticipate the activities of the individuals and place them under arrest.
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An area that these groups had previously targeted was under surveillance on Friday by an Abington detective. Around 6 p.m., the detective noticed a suspicious vehicle driving around the neighborhood.
Four Chile residents arrested
Upon stopping the vehicle, officers discovered four men, all natives of Chile. The men told officers they had traveled from California to Pennsylvania to visit and were on the lookout for a restaurant. However, upon further investigation, each of the men was found either holding fraudulent identification cards or having no identification at all. This led to their detention for a more extensive investigation.
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Afterward, a search of the vehicle revealed a collection of burglary tools, including masks, gloves, flashlights, pry bars, a reciprocating saw, and a glass break tool. Moreover, officers found pictures and GPS navigation routes leading to specific residences in the Meadowbrook neighborhood that the suspects were allegedly monitoring.
Suspects formally charged
The four men—identified as Alvaro Javier Ganin Ganin, 36; Jorge Fabrizeo Sepulveda Alvarez, 34; Vaster Miller Guajardo Pedrero, 31, and Nicolas Andres Matus Lucero, 29—were formally charged with attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, possession of crime instruments, and loitering and prowling at night time. They are currently in custody at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, pending their arraignment.