Police say the suspects were tracked from California to Arizona after a string of home break-ins.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Seven Colombian nationals suspected in home burglaries in Burbank and other West Coast cities were arrested Friday at a Scottsdale short-term rental after police tracked them to two Arizona break-ins, authorities said.
The arrests tied a Los Angeles County burglary investigation to a wider case stretching across California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona. Burbank police said the suspects are believed to be connected to a South American theft group, a label law enforcement agencies use for organized burglary crews accused of targeting homes and moving quickly between cities.
Burbank investigators said they warned other agencies that the group may have left California and headed toward Arizona. They shared vehicle descriptions and other investigative details with Scottsdale police. Scottsdale detectives found matching vehicles near Camelback and Miller roads, placed the group under surveillance and followed the suspects on May 23 to homes in Tempe and Mesa. Police said they watched the group take part in two burglaries before officers served a search warrant at the Scottsdale rental around 4 p.m. “This case is an excellent example of our great relationships with law enforcement partners locally and nationwide,” Scottsdale police said in a statement.
The suspects were identified as Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23; Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26; Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38; Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26; Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28; Lady Johanna Gueito, 32; and Angie Paola Hernandez-Manrique, 25. Authorities said all seven were booked into the Maricopa County Jail and held on $150,000 cash-only bonds. Police said evidence tied to the Tempe and Mesa burglaries was found during the search. A French bulldog also was recovered at the rental, and investigators said the dog had been stolen during a California burglary. Officers did not publicly identify the California city where the dog was taken.
Police in Southern California have reported a series of residential burglary cases they say involve traveling theft crews from South America. Investigators have said such groups often target jewelry, cash and other high-value items that can be moved or sold quickly. Some crews have been accused of using short-term rentals, rental cars, lookouts and devices meant to interfere with home security systems. Authorities have not said whether the seven suspects arrested in Scottsdale are tied to every burglary under review in Burbank or to any earlier South American theft group cases in Los Angeles County.
The Burbank Police Department said it will present its local investigation to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges. Arizona authorities are handling the Tempe and Mesa burglary case first, with the suspects held in Maricopa County. Police said detectives are still sorting through recovered property and working to return items to victims. The number of homes linked to the group in California, Oregon and Washington has not been released. Officials also have not said whether more arrests are expected.
Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said one woman in the group used the French bulldog as part of a cover while acting as a lookout, walking the dog in a neighborhood to appear less suspicious. Video from the Arizona arrest scene showed armored police vehicles near the residence and several people sitting handcuffed outside as officers worked to secure the area. The dog was seen running loose before officers caught it. Police said the animal was being reunited with its owner.
The arrests came after Burbank police said information sharing helped detectives follow a fast-moving burglary crew beyond Los Angeles County. The next step is review by prosecutors in Arizona and California, including a planned submission to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Author note: Last updated May 20, 2026.