Press Release: Burglary Arrest

Press Release                                                                                                                               December 9, 2023
Abington Police Case #23-048098

Burglary Arrest

Since 2021, there have been twelve residential burglaries of affluent homes in the Meadowbrook section of Abington. Investigators had linked these burglaries to similar crimes that were being committed in the tri-state area, and throughout the country. The burglaries were being committed by South American Theft Groups, that were entering the US, mostly from Chile and Columbia, and targeting these high-end homes for break-ins. A task force was established, and detectives collected evidence, shared intelligence and studied the specific patterns of these criminal groups.

On December 8, 2023, an Abington Detective was conducting surveillance in an area that had been targeted by these groups in the past. At 6:00 PM, he observed a vehicle driving around that appeared to be casing the neighborhood. Officers moved in and stopped the vehicle, which was occupied by four males. The males claimed to have driven to Pennsylvania from California to visit a friend and were looking for a restaurant. The males possessed either fraudulent identification cards or no identification at all, and they were detained for further investigation. A search of their vehicle yielded numerous burglary tools, which included masks, gloves, flashlights, pry bars, reciprocating saw, and a glass break tool. They also possessed photos and GPS navigational directions to specific homes and locations in the Meadowbrook neighborhood that they were casing. The alert detective was able to stop them before they committed a burglary and prevented someone’s home from a break-in. All four suspects were arrested and charged with attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, possessing instruments of crime, and loitering and prowling at night time. They were transported to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility pending arraignment.

 

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Alvaro Javier Ganin Ganin                  Jorge Fabrizeo Sepulveda Alvarez
36 years old, Resides: Chile                 34 years old, Resides: Chile

 

Vaster Miller Guajardo Pedrero         Nicolas Andres Matus Lucero
31 years old, Resides: Chile                 29 years old, Resides: Chile

CRIMINAL CHARGES, AND ANY DISCUSSION THEREOF, ARE MERELY ALLEGATIONS AND ALL DEFENDANTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL AND UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY.

Approved for release by Lt. Steve Fink