South American Theft Group members suspected of burglaries in Maryland, other states

BALTIMORE - Baltimore County Police arrested five people connected to a South American Theft Group responsible for multiple break-ins throughout Maryland and other states.

"This is a great success for the Baltimore County Police Department," Baltimore County Police Det. Trae Corbin said.

They were arrested by police on February 3 after an attempted break-in on Tufton Springs Lane in Reisterstown.

According to charging documents obtained by WJZ, all five suspects were positively identified by Border Patrol as members of a criminal organization known as the South American Theft Group. They all had Chile identification cards, according to the documents.

The group targets large homes in wealthy areas and, often, Asian business owners. They travel around the country committing thefts and burglaries and then leave the area before they can be identified. 

Cash, jewelry, purses, shoes and clothing are among the items police say were stolen. 

Investigators also connect the five suspects to burglaries in North Carolina, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Cellphone data reveals one of the suspects googled "millionaire neighborhoods in various cities" and the addresses of large homes.

Police believe Andrew Slutkin's home in Reisterstown was burglarized by the South American Theft Group in June of 2023. 

"Since our burglary, we've heard of about nine people within a few miles of us who have been burglarized in a similar way," Slutkin said. "In fact, it fits the description of ours to a tee. There definitely has been a bit of an epidemic regarding these things lately in our community in Baltimore County."

They are being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center. They have detainers on them through Immigration and Customs Enforcement.