Riverside Police investigating series of home burglaries involving members of South American crime rings

Riverside police are seeking public assistance in locating a group of suspects that have been repeatedly burglarizing homes throughout Riverside County, many of whom they believe are connected to South American crime rings. 

Detectives began to notice an uptick in home burglaries in January, after a series of crimes occurred in Alessandro Heights, Hawarden Hills and Mission Grove neighborhoods. After investigation, they determined that the crimes were connected to SATG, or South American Theft Groups. 

"This group is a criminal organization that has been operating throughout the United States to commit home burglaries, and are suspected of about 17 in our city this year," said Riverside Police Department Officer Ryan Railsback.

Thus far, suspects have been described as men dressed in hats, hooded sweatshirts, gloves and face-coverings or masks, often carrying backpacks and flashlights. They traditionally use high-end vehicles to blend in to the affluent neighborhoods they target. 

"Typically, these suspects work in groups of three to six South American males and target homes that are adjacent to a vacant lot, arroyo or greenbelt area," Railsback said. "Most times they will enter the property from the rear or backyard while one or two suspects act as lookouts from getaway vehicles parked along the street. They enter the home by smashing a sliding or glass door, even climbing onto a 2nd floor balcony during some instances."

He also noted that in some other instances women have been used as lookouts, and that most of the burglaries occur between 6 p.m. and midnight on the weekends, times when homeowners are most often away. 

Riverside is not the only area that has been targeted by these crime rings, as detectives in Orange County have concluded that a similar group of suspects are connected to a series home burglaries in their area. 

While they continue to investigate the burglaries and hope that someone can come forward with information to assist the identification of the suspects, officers remind residents to practice a number of safety tips, including making sure that all windows and doors are locked, installing security cameras, avoid sharing plans on social media and bolting down safes to a steel or cement slab.