South American theft gang arrested

By El Latino newsroom
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Last week detectives with the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) and Thousand Oaks Investigations Bureau arrested two suspects from South America for conspiracy to commit grand theft.      

Back in September, Thousand Oaks patrol deputies responded to the 300 block of Giant Oak Avenue regarding a theft of approximately $10,000 in United States currency.  Deputies learned the victim had just withdrawn the currency from a local bank and drove to the 300 block of Giant Oak Avenue.  

While at that location, at least three suspects acted in concert to distract the victim and steal the currency from her vehicle.  

Detectives with SEU recognized this crime as being consistent with South American Theft Group (SATG) criminal activities.  

“This type of crime is often referred to as “bank jugging”, where multiple suspects act in concert to follow innocent victims away from banks after they withdraw large amounts of currency,” said the VCSO in a press release.

According to the authorities suspects then either seize a moment of opportunity or initiate a distraction to steal the currency.  

SEU detectives conducted an investigation and were able to identify three suspects involved in this crime.  

It was on December 6 when SEU detectives and detectives with the Thousand Oaks Investigations Bureau located the three suspects parked in the parking lot of a Wells Fargo bank in the city of El Monte.  

Detectives contacted the suspects as they drove away from the Wells Fargo bank and arrested the suspects in the 3800 block of Peck Road in El Monte.

Detectives identified the suspects as Oscar Ivan Arias Caballero (32), Roberto Atilano Del Rio (45), and Jordan Stiven Puentes Tunjano (31).  

Detectives determined Arias Caballero and Puentes Tunjano were Colombian Nationals, all of the suspects were living in LA and Irvine area.

Arias Caballero and Atilano Del Rio were booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for conspiracy to commit grand theft.  

Meanwhile, Puentes Tunjano was booked into the East Valley Jail for conspiracy to commit grand theft, and are all currently in custody with bail set at $200,000.