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Five men have been arrested in connection with a home burglary in South Sarasota that police said resulted in the theft from a safe of more than $200,000 in designer handbags and jewelry, along with such documents as vehicle titles and passports.
Police recommend residents to to always:
Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to call Detective Steven Fergus at 941-263-6059 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies arrested the five in Orlando, and they were brought last week to Sarasota County Jail on charges of grand theft of over $100,000, residential burglary with property damage and possession of burglary tools.
Arrested were: Andres Felipe Suarez Lopez, 28, who has since been extradited to face other charges in Broward County; Jefferson Javier Nunez Suarez, 32, who was released on bond; Oscar Daniel Londono Rubiano, 35; Juan Camilo Cuartas Castellanos, 32; and Juan Quinones, 50.
Police on Aug. 4 were called to the waterfront home on Tangier Way near Siesta Key on a report of a burglary after the homeowners reported a large glass door had been shattered and a closet safe forced open.
Surveillance video obtained by police showed three men in masks and gloves entering the home while another man stood outside speaking into a two-way radio. Two vehicles were connected to the men, and a statewide alert was posted for the minivan and SUV. Other video from a restaurant showed the five men together.
Police believe one of the vehicles was a lookout and a suspect was inside in contact with suspects at the scene.
Both vehicles were subsequently spotted at an Orlando-area Hyatt Hotel, near the intersection of Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike.
During a search of the vehicles and hotel room, Orange County authorities reported finding the same clothes worn by the men in the security video, along with more than $120,000 in cash, designer handbags, an array of jewelry, several cell phones, several forms of differing identification, saw blades and other tools, gloves, walkie-talkies and other technical gear.
The five men were arrested at the hotel.
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