South Bay police arrest 'sophisticated' burglary crew targeting Asian community

San Jose's police chief announced Wednesday the arrest of three suspects linked to dozens of burglaries targeting the Asian American community throughout the South Bay.

According to Chief Paul Joseph, the "sophisticated" burglary crew specifically targeted Asian families and broke in through back doors and windows of homes in San Jose, and other cities in Santa Clara County. 

Suspects

What we know:

The three suspects were arrested last Thursday after authorities conducted search warrants in Hayward, French Camp and Stockton.

The suspects were identified as Alberto Vallejo, Gonzalo Valencia Ramos and Jaime Martinez Arroyo.

According to the chief, detectives connected 30 burglary cases in San Jose, 18 in Cupertino and Saratoga, 20 in Mountain View and 10 in Campbell.

The trio is facing 72 counts of felony burglary. The suspects could spend the rest of their lives in prison, the Santa Clara distict attorney said. 

"It reflects the weight and seriousness of the crime these individuals committed," the prosecutor said of the potential punishment.

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The suspects took things like luxury purses, jewelry, watches, family heirlooms, and firearms, police said. 

Chief Joseph said over the course of seven months, South Bay police departments were investigating dozens of burglaries separately. But once detectives connected the crimes in December, they identified the crew suspected in the string of burglaries.

One of the suspects was identified by the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office with the help of a home doorbell camera, police said. 

‘Brought to justice’

What they're saying:

"If you come here to commit crime and harm our residents, you will be caught and brought to justice," Mayor Matt Mahan said.

The mayor said the arrests were thanks to several police agencies across the South Bay – a reminder of the importance of inter-agency collaboration.

"This is just the latest reminder of the fundamental responsibility to keep people safe," he said. 

The stolen items are believed to be worth an estimated $1 million, Joseph said.

The Source: San Jose police, Santa Clara County District Attorney

San JoseCrime and Public Safety