Two individuals were taken into custody in Tacoma, Washington, as part of a two-year inquiry into a sequence of thefts that specifically targeted East Indian and Asian American households in King and Snohomish Counties.
Key points:
- The 34-year-old men were arrested on Wednesday, making it the 10th apprehension of suspects thought to be involved with an organized criminal group from South America. organized crime group from South America.
- The group is believed to have carried out over 300 burglaries in King and Snohomish Counties since 2021, resulting in losses exceeding $5 million.
The details:
- The arrests were a result of a collaborative effort involving Sheriff’s Office Robbery and Burglary detectives, Lynnwood Police detectives, and Homeland Security.
- One of the men faces 11 charges of burglary and six charges of theft, while the other was charged with 12 counts of burglary and 7 counts of theft. Additionally, a 24-year-old man, already under arrest in connection with the investigation, was also charged with six counts of burglary and three counts of theft.
- All of the men are being held at the Snohomish County Jail, with bail set at $500,000 for each.
- According to investigators, the two 34-year-old men were tied to 12 burglaries in Snohomish County, including in Lynnwood and Mukilteo, since November 2023.
- Investigators believe that the suspects singled out Asian and East Indian homeowners under the assumption that they stored substantial amounts of cash and jewelry at home. Police suspect that they located victims through small local businesses and open-source databases by conducting name queries.
What’s next:
- The investigation into the organized South American crime group remains ongoing.
- “We do suspect that we’ll have some arrests in the future. Unfortunately, detectives do believe that this might be an ongoing problem for the foreseeable future,” said Maren McKay, Lynnwood Police Department’s communications manager, according to Fox 13.
