A 17-month investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office has resulted in the arrest of four illegal immigrants from Colombia, accused of nine different home burglaries across half a dozen Florida counties.
"They came into this country with a very well-planned, organized scheme," said Sheriff Grady Judd in an interview with NBC2 News Friday.
The Colombian gang used disguises to lower suspicion, often dressing in construction uniforms and burkas.
The group then would stalk affluent businesses, the majority of which were Asian American, according to the sheriff's office.
"Then they would determine who the owners were. They would do research online and search public records. Then, they would identify the owners and follow them to their house and from their house back to their work to identify not only where they lived but also pattern their activity. They were under surveillance. They had Wi-Fi jammers and ways to get around your security systems, and they would focus on high-end gated communities where people had cash. They had high-end jewelry. They had high-end clothes and shoes," Judd said.
The men and women involved, all in the country illegally, have lengthy criminal charges from out-of-state crimes. The four living in Winter Garden are:
- Geraldine Galeano-Perez, 33
- Milton Ayala-Sierra, 25
- Jason Alexander Higuera-Ruiz, 41
- Geiler Orobio-Cabezas, 36
"We've arrested them for nine cases. We know there are many, many more," Judd said.
The thefts occurred at luxury, high-end gated communities in the following counties, per the Polk County sheriff:
- Hillsborough
- Pinellas
- Pasco
- Manatee
- Collier
"We know there are other groups operating in the same way from Colombia and Chile," Judd said.
Perez and Cabezas are in custody at North Florida Jail Centers. Sierra has already been deported back to Colombia, and Ruiz is currently on the run after cutting off an ankle monitor while being out on bond.
"We're coming after you. We're going to catch you. We're going to arrest you and put you in prison for a very, very long time for racketeering. And then after you're very old, if you don't die in prison from old age, then we'll deport you," Judd said.