A sophisticated ring of burglars from South America, who crossed the border three months ago, is accused of targeting an ethnic group on Long Island.
As CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan reported Wednesday, police say the suspects used lookouts and surveillance to follow unsuspecting victims.
The Indian-American community is being targeted in a home burglary ring.
According to the Nassau County Police Department, the suspects wore vests and posed as utility workers in Hicksville.
“They would watch those coming out of the Patel store or the jewelry store or getting their nails done. They follow them to their residence,” Patrick Ryder, Nassau Police Commissioner said.
“It happened two blocks from my house, 5 o’clock in morning. It is really terrifying,” homeowner Tejal Patel said.
Police say the four suspects are from Colombia and were caught in New Hyde Park, where they followed a victim to her South Drive home.
Nassau’s Burglary Pattern Squad had the fake utility workers under surveillance.
“They started to pry the door, the glass broke, and the woman who was now awake inside the house screamed,” Ryder said.
The suspects were nabbed as they tried to flee. One hid a stolen AK-47 in woods near a school, police said.
“They wrapped it in a plastic bag, and placed it with the bullets in the woods across the street from the house, and any child, any kid, could have picked that gun up,” Ryder said.
Detectives say the four suspects are undocumented and entered illegally through borders in Texas, Arizona, and California.
“These individuals should never have been allowed to make their way into the United States. They were caught at the border and rather than be detained, they were let go,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
Police say they have 20-30 recent open cases in this area, with similar MOs that could be linked to the crew of four. (source: cbsnews.com)
