Five suspected members of an organized crime ring are behind bars after four of them allegedly broke into a home mere yards from a Long Island college campus.
Nassau County Police said the department’s burglary pattern team was conducting an investigation near the LIU Post campus in Brookville at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, when officers saw a vehicle with Florida registration enter the campus parking lot.
Detectives then watched as four people got out of the car and walked through a wooded area toward Horse Hill Road, police said. A fifth person stayed in the vehicle.
Not long after, police reported hearing a loud alarm sounding and seeing the four suspects return back to the car.
Investigators determined the suspects had broken into a home on Horse Hill Road by breaking the glass on a rear door.
Police said all five are part of the South American Theft Group, an organized crime ring consisting of thieves who come to the US from foreign countries as “tourists” specifically to target wealthy homes.
Officers arrested the following suspects, who are each charged with second-degree attempted burglary:
- Francisco Maturana, age 36
- Lidia Gil-Andreu, age 30
- Lautaro De La O Achiardi, age 32
- Rodrigo Hermosilla Lizama, age 37
- Felipe Hermosilla Lizama, age 35
All five suspects are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, Dec. 8, at First District Court in Hempstead.
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