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Waukesha burglary ring: Chilean nationals accused
Three Chilean nationals are charged with luxury home burglaries in Wisconsin, potentially linked to a larger South American theft group operating nationwide.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Three men from Chile are now charged in a string of burglaries in Waukesha County. But there is a connection this case has to others across the country.
Leandro Pino Uribe, Enjerbet Rojas Silva, Luciano Silva Cifuentes
Chilean men accused
What we know:
Prosecutors presented evidence on Wednesday, Dec. 17 that the three men are part of a larger group of Chileans who came to the United States illegally, saying they have targeted homes that have woods in the backyard. Investigators say they break glass windows or doors and take jewelry from inside.
The three men in this case are all between 19 and 23 years old. A spokesman from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department told FOX6 News, each has an ICE or immigration hold placed on them.
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Prosecutors say Leandro Pino Uribe, Enjerbet Rojas Silva and Luciano Silva Cifuentes were based in Florida and drove to Wisconsin multiple times. In September and October, prosecutors say they targeted homes in the Town of Delafield.
Detectives said the men used cellphone records to track the group and compared their locations to three other crime scenes in Mequon. Police there shared trail camera video of three men in the woods, but they have not said they are connected to the defendants.
What they're saying:
"These burglaries are consistent with many being conducted nationwide by suspects associated with South American theft groups," said the prosecutors. "These suspects target expensive homes, often containing high-value items such as jewelry."
Investigators said they found items used to cut or break glass in one defendant's car. There were also fake IDs and prosecutors say 26 Wi-Fi signal jammers used to block home security systems.
The River Hills Police Department provided the following:
"The River Hills Police Department has been in contact with Waukesha regarding these individuals. At this time, we have not identified any connection between those currently in custody and the Portis burglary. However, the River Hills Police Department continues to investigate and is actively sharing information with partner agencies to determine whether any connection exists or if additional evidence can be obtained."
In court
What's next:
Cash bond for each defendant is set at $250,000.
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All three men are due back in court on Jan. 7 for a preliminary hearing.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, the criminal complaint associated with this case, and previous FOX6 News coverage.