By Luis Benito
Security guards would report when properties were vacant and let their friends in to steal.
Security guards at residential complexes located in Bogota, Cundinamarca and other cities in Colombia took their positions to help facilitate the robbery of exclusive apartments.
They identified times that the houses were vacant so their friends could break in.
In a joint effort with the National Army the Attorney General’s Office revealed the facts. They managed to arrest four members of the gang known as ‘Los Seguros’. Luis Alfonso was captured along with Jaider Enrique Vilmil Cervantes and Gustavo Adolfo Revilla Sanchez.
The prosecution claims that security guards photographed the locks on the doors so criminals can enter. The guards let the criminals into the apartment complexes, and led them to apartments that were previously marked, while pretending they were residents.
After locating the apartment, the team cut the electricity and disabled the cameras in order to allow the burglars to enter. They also paid other security guards not to report the events.
The Prosecutor’s Office has an audio recording that shows how one member of this gang revealed information regarding the apartment. “House 31 is the one and only house that’s available for rent. “I know what houses are equipped with alarms, which ones don’t”, the man said.
The gang used this method to steal a large amount of money. In total, they managed to reach 1.7 billion dollars. Cash, jewelry, watches, and other valuables were stolen. They were hidden in suitcases so as not to attract the attention of their neighbors.
Leonor said: “We’ve intercepted calls where it appears that the guards were injected with drugs to make them sleepy and steal the belongings of people. Merchan is the director of Bogota’s Prosecutor’s Office.
To drug non-gang members who would not be able to receive payments and become complicit, the group offered instant coffee with sleeping pills during night shifts or at work.
CTI agents, as well as Army personnel, participated in the raids. Among other things, they seized firearms, different projectile calibers and five radios for communication, cash in dollars and euro, 34 millions pesos and four jackets with company logos. According to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office, security items included six different watches, including those of various brands. Checkbooks, jewelery, mobile phones, bank cards and magnetic keys were also seized.
Five houses in Bogota are averagely robbed every day
According to the El Espectador newspaper, thefts from homes have increased by 8 percent in 2023. There are now 5,100 cases reported.
The crime is more prevalent in northern areas of the city than other crimes like homicide or theft. Suba has the highest number of cases, 1,520, out of 9,840 total cases that have been reported.
Suba is the town most affected, followed by Kennedy, Engativa and Usaquen, then Chapinero. Suba and Usaquen accounted for 23,8% of cases in 2022. Experts from Sijin told the media mentioned above that thieves prefer homes located in the northern part of the capital, because these houses tend to contain the most valuable items.
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