Two people believed to be connected to the South American Theft Group appeared in court on Thursday.
Misael De Colina Palomino, 32, and Alexandria Bravo Valencia, 27, are accused of attempting to break into homes in Farmington and Avon back in May.
Lt. John Schmalberger with the Avon Police Department said a traffic stop led to their arrest in Georgia last month, and they were extradited back to Connecticut on Wednesday.
"In October of sometime, authorities in Georgia, on the strength of warrants, arrested two individuals that we presented in court today," Schmalberger said.
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The burglary in Avon happened on Robkins Road. Police say with the help of the homeowners and neighbors, they were able to get security footage of multiple suspects trying to break in, then fleeing the area.
"They went to the rear of the home, were trying to access the rear window and the rear slider," Schmalberger said.
He said his department worked with neighboring towns and out-of-state agencies for several months and identified five suspects who allegedly have ties to the South American Theft Group, which police say has committed similar crimes in Virginia, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Local
"With the overall group that's sort of been associated with this South American Theft Group, we've had close to two dozen burglaries going back the last several years. These individuals in particular, we've only tied them to this one burglary in town," Schmalberger said.
But Palomino and Valencia's public defender said the security footage of the attempted burglary in Avon doesn't have enough evidence.
"Similarly to the co-defendant in this matter, I do think there's a concern of a lack of evidence if she was an actual participant in the burglary itself," Robert Fontaine said.
However, Fontaine admitted it is possible they were present. Palomino and Valencia are also believed to be linked to a similar crime in Farmington that happened the same day.
Police say they broke into a home in the area of Mountain Spring Road. The homeowner called 911 after hearing a window breal and when officers arrived on scene, they found a broken window with a damaged screen.
After a lengthy investigation, Farmington police said they were able to identify Palomino and Valencia as the suspects, and issue a warrant for their arrest with the help of officers from the Avon Police Department.
A judge set Palomino's bond at a total of $1 million. Valencia is being held on $500,000 bond. Both are due back in court next month.
Preventing thefts
Across the country, most burglaries happen when someone isn't home. The FBI suggests:
- Vary your daily routine
- Don't post on social media that you're on vacation
- Utilize a doorbell camera with an alarm system
- Keep inside lights on with timers
- Take photos of valuables and keep those items in a safe
- Don’t leave large amounts of cash in the home
So-called tourist burglary rings sometimes use 90-day Visas and then send home stolen high-end items, or the money from selling them.
“They operate in one area until it gets too hot for them. The police are getting too close to them, and then they change locations," Kenneth Gray, a retired FBI special agent, said.
