A Colombian criminal organization, suspected of having cartel connections, attempted another elaborate jewelry heist after a successful one last month that netted over $1 million in stolen jewelry. Police provided an update on Thursday about the gang’s activities, highlighting their increasingly audacious tactics.
The group, consisting of four individuals including an alarm specialist and a demolition expert, originally targeted a jewelry store in Sacramento County on September 13. According to the county sheriff’s office, the approach taken during this robbery was impressively intricate, almost cinematic.
“The methods used were quite remarkable. It was very methodical and well-planned,” Sgt. Amal Gandhi commented, noting their sophisticated techniques and tools.
These organized thieves were observed traveling through parts of Sacramento and the Bay Area in RVs. They scouted various jewelry stores, setting off alarms and breaking in during their assessments, as indicated by police surveillance.
However, on Thursday, police apprehended the group in the midst of another robbery attempt at Lodi Pawn and Fine Jewelry. The burglars had cut a hole through a brick wall to access the store, disabled the alarm system, and cut the electricity, but law enforcement intervened just in time.
Thanks to police action, no jewelry was stolen, and all four suspects were arrested. The individuals taken into custody are Sandro Torres-Morales (49), Orlando Goineche-Sanchez (41), Miguel Osorio-Castaneda (49), and Melanie Pascagoula-Correa (25).
Authorities suspect the crew has links to an international criminal network that has made off with millions in jewelry. “They were quite sophisticated in their methods, even having associates register cars under their names and act as office managers,” Gandhi explained.
Additionally, there’s speculation about the group’s involvement in several similar robberies across the state, with indications that one of the suspects owns a jewelry store in Colombia, hinting at possible cartel involvement.
The suspects are set to appear in court on October 20th.
