Authorities have arrested three of four suspects allegedly connected to a hidden camera found outside a Southern California home earlier this year.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department released a statement saying the arrested suspects have been identified as three Colombian nationals: 28-year-old James Lopez Granados, 38-year-old Danny Alejandro Aponte Abaunza and 27-year-old Jonathan Sierra Rincon.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and they are working to identify a fourth suspect in the case.
The arrest stems from an incident in May when a Calabasas homeowner called police after finding a hidden camera disguised inside a planter in his front yard.
A Colombian man who was released from prison a few weeks ago is among a group of people arrested in California on suspicion of “theft tourism.”
Police released images of the camera and battery pack, which was reported by a local resident who found it in a flower bed. (Malibu/Lost Hills Station)
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department He told FOX 11 that South American thieves, often made up of Chileans or Colombians, are known for using covert tactics such as hiding surveillance equipment in natural environments such as foliage and bushes.
Officials said these organized crime gangs travel between states, often committing robberies and thefts on limited tourist visas.
Authorities urged local residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious devices they see.
Michigan counties are plagued by “robbery tourism” as foreign criminal gangs exploit the U.S. Visa Waiver Program
Police found a surveillance camera in the suspect's vehicle that had been camouflaged with leaves. (Glendale Police Department)
On September 3, Riverside Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Bureau and Southwest Division Investigations Bureau executed search warrants in the Los Angeles area and took three suspects into custody.
The three suspects were booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on charges of conspiracy and theft, authorities said.
Further details are scarce, but investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Southwest Sheriff's Station Lead Investigator Angel Gasparini at 951-696-3000.
“Robbery tourism” rampant in Southern California, with unidentified foreigners raiding luxury homes
Police said Jose Antonio Velazquez, 28, Edison Early Pinson Fandino, 27, and Luis Carlos Moreno, 29, were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery. (Glendale Police Department)
A week before the Calabasas camera was discovered, Glendale police arrested four Colombian nationals for their involvement in a “robbery tour” ring. As in the Malibu incident, the suspects allegedly placed the camera in a flower pot outside one of the homes.
Glendale Police Chief Manny Cid previously said the arrests highlight the “ongoing challenges” officers face in keeping the community safe.
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“While it is unfortunate to see the same suspect arrested for a similar crime, it does not weaken our resolve to protect Glendale,” Syd said. “Our officers are dedicated and will do everything in their power to combat these crimes and keep our residents safe.”
According to police, “klepto-tourists” are thieves who enter the United States from South America and target wealthy areas “under the guise of tourism.”
Fox News Digital's Steven Sorellese contributed to this report.
