On September 13, a crew of thieves drilled through concrete to break into a Sacramento County jewelry store, stealing more than $1 million in jewelry. Property Crimes Detectives with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, utilizing funding from the Organized Retail Crime Grant, began investigating the highly sophisticated operation.

Over the following weeks, detectives identified a group of four suspects, three men and one woman, all Colombian nationals:

49-year-old Sandro Torres-Morales, 41-year-old Orlando Goyeneche-Sanchez, 49-year-old Miguel Osorio-Castaneda, and 25-year-old Melany Pascagoula-Correa.

Through extensive surveillance over the past week, Detectives observed the crew casing multiple jewelry stores throughout the region, including locations in Sacramento, Stockton, Lodi, and the Bay Area. The suspects traveled in an RV, using advanced tools and specialized skills to disable alarms and gain access through adjoining walls. Detectives described the group as extremely organized, methodical, and well-equipped.

Early this morning (Thursday), the suspects attempted their next heist at a jewelry store in Lodi. They smashed through a brick wall from an adjacent building, shut off power, and attempted to disable the alarm system. Sheriff’s Detectives conducting surveillance nearby immediately moved in, with assistance from the Sheriff’s SED (SWAT) team, as the break-in unfolded.

Two suspects were detained immediately, while two others hid inside; including one who crawled into an air duct in an attempt to evade capture. With the help of military equipment including drones and less-lethal gas, all four suspects were safely taken into custody. Thanks to the rapid response, no jewelry was stolen in the Lodi incident.

Investigators have since confirmed that Sandro Torres-Morales owns a jewelry business in Colombia, which likely has ties to cartels and organized criminal enterprises. All four were transported to the Sacramento County Main Jail, where they remain ineligible for bail. They are scheduled to appear in court on October 20.