Burglaries tied to a South American Theft Group (that has been in operation for several years), first targeted the Scottsdale area in 2022.
Authorities report there is a new crew now targeting Scottsdale, Gilbert, Phoenix and Paradise Valley.
There have been 140 cases across the entire valley since this trend began in November 2023. THIRTY-NINE of those cases were located in Scottsdale.
The last Scottsdale burglary associated with this trend was on March 10 when 3 Chilean nationals were arrested near Pima Rd & Jomax Rd.
This group is thought to have deep connections nation-wide and so the police are advising residents to "still be aware and vigilant and report suspicious behavior occurring in their neighborhoods".
Notable trends:
Homes either backed up to a golf course or a wash are mostly targeted and these burglars are simply hopping into backyards to get inside of homes.
The criminals normally steal small but high-value items like purses, jewelry and cash.
Precautions to avoid being targeted:
keep your lights on and even your TVs when you are not home
have a security system
adopt a dog from the shelter
hire a house-sitter or property manager if you will be gone for an extended amount of time
invest in Apple Air Tags to place inside valuables which can be tracked on your phone. These Airtags run off CR2032 batteries that last a year.
lock your circuit breakers with a padlock to prevent your alarm system from being disabled
have a metal bar on your sliding doors and install motion sensor lighting
do not share travel plans on social media or with ride-share drivers
Many recent burglaries use technology that scramble the house's Wi-Fi system, which prevents the surveillance system from notifying the homeowners.
Switching from a wireless to a wired surveillance system can eliminate the need for devices to communicate over Wi-Fi.
Please report any suspicious activity to the non-emergency line:
Phoenix police non-emergency line — 602-262-6151
Comments