Seven people face felony charges in connection with a series of organized home burglaries in Los Angeles County, including at least 20 thefts linked to work crews throughout the San Fernando Valley, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hockman said the suspect is accused of committing “brazen, well-planned and predatory” crimes that left victims feeling unsafe in their own homes.
“These organized burglary rings are targeting hard-working families, and the place they should feel safest is in their homes,” Hochman said at a news conference. “If you enter our communities to terrorize communities and maim innocent people, law enforcement will track you down and hold you accountable.”
Authorities said the cases highlight a growing problem involving sophisticated burglary rings, including organized South American gangs, who use sophisticated tactics to avoid detection and target wealthy neighborhoods across Southern California.
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Surveillance video released by investigators shows a suspect linked to an organized series of residential burglaries in Los Angeles County.
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Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents that many crews conduct extensive surveillance before a home invasion, often monitoring victims’ social media posts for expensive purchases or vacation photos that indicate a home may be vacant.
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“Please, whatever you do, when you live in Los Angeles, don’t tell the world you’re in Paris,” Luna said.
Investigators say some workers used fake DoorDash, Uber Eats or Amazon shopping bags to pose as delivery drivers and approach homes without arousing suspicion. Others use hidden cameras disguised as landscaping and Wi-Fi jamming devices designed to disable home security systems and cloud-connected surveillance cameras.
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Investigators seized luxury goods, jewelry and handbags allegedly linked to an organized theft ring in Southern California.
The largest of the cases involves Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor, also known as Kevin Diaz, who prosecutors say is charged with 15 counts of first-degree residential burglary, three counts of attempted first-degree residential burglary and one count of grand larceny of a firearm.
Authorities charged Saiz Sotomayor with burglarizing or attempting to burglarize 18 homes throughout the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles between January 2025 and May 2026, including homes in Reseda, Van Nuys, Encino, Granada Hills, Sun Valley, Beverlywood and Westwood. Prosecutors said he allegedly stole jewelry, handbags, money and guns.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Sáez Sotomayor was arrested on May 4 after allegedly breaking into a home in the Beverly Woods area while a resident was inside.
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According to McDonald, the homeowner heard a loud bang coming from the back of the house and saw the suspect on a security camera locking himself in the bathroom before calling 911.
Three other suspects — Christopher Sanchez, Owen Rivera-Chacon and Edisson Fabian Boyaca — were charged with one felony count of first-degree residential burglary in connection with a May 1 burglary in Santa Clarita.
Investigators with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office tracked the suspected crew into Los Angeles County and then coordinated with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to conduct arrests along the highway, authorities said.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and area law enforcement officials announced charges against seven suspects in a series of residential burglaries in Southern California.
Deputies arrested Sanchez after stopping a car on the highway, while Rivera-Chacon allegedly fled on foot and was later found in a nearby dry creek bed. Boyaca was later arrested driving another vehicle about a mile away, authorities said.
Investigators seized jewelry, cash, luxury handbags, gloves, burglary tools and Wi-Fi jammers from the suspect’s vehicle, according to law enforcement officials.
Rivera-Chacon also faces a strike charge related to a previous conviction for residential burglary and could face up to 17 years in prison if convicted. Sanchez and Boyaca both face up to six years in prison.
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Investigators display jewelry allegedly stolen in a series of home burglaries in Los Angeles County.
The final case announced Tuesday involved Wilmar Santiago Castelblanco-Robles, Alan Rolando Rodriguez-Pulido and Cristian Rios-Cuadros, who were each charged with one felony count of first-degree residential burglary in connection with an alleged April 26 break-in at a Burbank home.
Authorities said neighbors saw the suspects breaking into the home and called police. Investigators said Rios-Cuadros and Casteblanco-Robles fled on foot and were later found hiding nearby by police using a police helicopter equipped with a heat detection device.
Rodriguez Pulido was later arrested while allegedly driving the alleged getaway vehicle, where police seized wallets, high-end handbags, watches and jewelry believed to have been stolen from other victims.
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Luna said residential burglaries reported to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have dropped by more than 30% since 2022, but he acknowledged the crime statistics offer little comfort to victims of home invasions.
“A victim of a shelter break-in — I don’t care what the statistics are,” Luna said. “They broke into my house and I don’t feel safe sleeping there. That’s why we’re all here. That’s why we’re going to continue to do everything we can to make sure we catch these people.”
Original source of the article: South American criminal gang carried out series of burglaries in Los Angeles housing complex, district attorney says