4 arrested in Lodi standoff accused of ties to Colombian theft ring, sheriff says
By Cecilio Padilla
Four people were taken into custody in Lodi on Thursday morning in connection with a string of burglaries across California.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office says detectives believe the group is allegedly part of an international Colombian theft ring.
Detectives had been surveilling the group since September after a jewelry store was burglarized in Sacramento County. Calling the break-in one of the “most sophisticated” detectives had seen, the sheriff’s office says the suspects managed to bore a hole through a wall and steal more than $1 million.
Other burglaries in the Bay Area and beyond were also linked to those same suspects.
Early Thursday morning, authorities were alerted about a break-in at a Lodi pawn shop on W. Lodi Avenue. The sheriff’s office says a SWAT team was deployed immediately, with detectives knowing who they were up against.
“Heard about a burglary potentially happening here at this jewelry store. Again, credit to their security system, they had a great one, so they weren’t able to actually make out with a single thing, but our folks were nearby, converged on it,” said Amar Gandhi, a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
One suspect, a female, was arrested immediately, deputies say. Two other suspects were soon arrested.
Deputies say the final suspect was found hiding in a ventilation duct. Gas was eventually deployed, the sheriff’s office says, and that suspect was also taken into custody.
“They actually jammed the internet next door, as well to our business, and so we were out of internet,” said Mikey Manpreet, the owner of Lodi Pawn. “They got to the system. They did, but they weren’t successful because right when they got to it, you know, got a notification.”
The names of the suspects, who the sheriff’s office says are believed to be Colombian nationals, have not been released at this time.
Officials said two suspects have construction and demolition backgrounds, while another is an alarm specialist. Another suspect owns a jewelry store in Colombia with potential ties to the cartel.
Streets in the area were closed through most of the early morning hours. Lodi police say the streets were reopened around 7:30 a.m.
