Overview
- Law enforcement announced on Wednesday that seven people have been charged in connection with at least 20 residential burglaries across Los Angeles County following coordinated operations by the LA County DA, LAPD, LASD and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
- Prosecutors say one defendant, Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor (also known as Kevin Diaz), is accused of burglarizing or attempting to burglarize about 18 homes and faces numerous felony counts and a $1.4 million bail.
- Investigators recovered stolen property and specialized tools during arrests, including cash, jewelry, a luxury handbag, a wooden box‑style hidden camera wrapped in artificial turf and a Wi‑Fi jamming device.
- Authorities described the crews’ tradecraft as pre‑planning and high tech, using burner phones, fraudulent rental cars, disguised surveillance devices and social‑media monitoring to identify empty affluent homes near parks, golf courses and trails.
- Officials warned the investigation is ongoing as agencies work to link the suspects to additional break‑ins, urged residents to use hard‑wired security and to report unusual objects or suspicious activity to police.