A gang of Chilean ‘burglary tourists’ who travelled to the UK to steal £80,000 worth of luxury items from homes in affluent neighbourhoods have been jailed.
The group of burglars targeted at least 11 properties across Surrey and London from November 3 to December 11 last year, thieving watches, clothes, jewellery and even unopened Christmas gifts.
To gain entry into the luxury properties during their month-long thieving spree, the crooks would often climb up to the first or second floors before forcing entry through windows or doors, Surrey Police said.
Video footage of one particular burglary captured the four thieves – Israel Contreras, Eduardo Marquez, Yeico Guzman Fernandez and Michael Carrasco, fleeing from a home by jumping out of a window and clambering over the back fence.
Fernandez had even travelled over from the UK from Chile with the ‘sole intention of thievery’ and embarked on an ‘offending spree’ with the group as soon as he landed, Surrey Police Investigating officer, Sergeant Ben Deacon, said.
But a number of blunders eventually saw the criminals captured by police, with the four men later receiving a combined total of 17 years in prison for their callous crimes.
On November 3, Contreras accidentally dropped his phone while climbing over the fence of a home in Hillingdon.
When officers seized the device, they discovered five screenshots from a mapping app, with pins dropped on several residential properties across London.
A Chilean gang who travelled to the UK and posed as tourists to steal more than £80,000 worth of luxury items from affluent homes have been jailed. Israel Contreras (pictured) was caught after his DNA was found on a broken angle grinder blade left at the scene of a burglary in Esher
Yeico Guzman Fernandez (pictured) had only been in the UK for a number of hours before he met up with the burglary gang to embark on an ‘offending spree’. Surrey Police Investigating officer, Sergeant Ben Deacon, said that he had ‘entered the UK with sole intention of thievery’
Video footage of one particular incident (pictured) captured the four thieves fleeing from a home by jumping out of a window and clambering over the back fence. Sergeant Deacon said that their arrests brought him ‘great satisfaction’
Pieces of Contreras’ DNA on a broken angle grinder blade were also left behind at the scene of a burglary in Esher, allowing police to establish a connection between the offences in London and Surrey.
While he had hoped to board a flight to Chile on December 5, Contreras’ plan was foiled after officers arrested him at London’s Heathrow Airport. He was later charged with conspiracy to commit burglary.
The remaining members of the gang were captured just days later. On December 11, officers halted the thieves while they travelled in a red Hyundai on Fulham Palace Road, London.
Despite attempting to reverse and ram their way to freedom, the car was strategically stopped by police who discovered that the vehicle contained items of jewellery, designer goods and tools.
Marquez, the driver of the getaway car, had filled his pockets with jewellery and watches from burglaries committed earlier that day.
A large crowbar had been tucked into his waistband, with a torch and screwdriver also concealed in his pockets.
Fernandez and Carrasco were also found in the vehicle. Fernandez, who had arrived into the UK from Chile at 7am that morning, had immediately met up with the group in order to embark on their next robbery.
Over the summer, the four thieves were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court, with Contreras, 22, receiving a five year and three month sentence and Marquez, 29, sentenced to six years and nine months.
On December 11, officers stopped the thieves while travelling in a red Hyundai on Fulham Palace Road in London. Eduardo Marquez (pictured), the driver of the getaway car, had filled his pockets with jewellery and watches from burglaries committed earlier that day
At Guildford Crown Court, Contreras, 22, received a a five year and three month sentence and Marquez, 29, was sentenced to six years and nine months. Both Michael Carrasco (pictured), 28, and Fernandez, 25, received two years and nine months behind bars respectively
Both Carrasco, 28, and Fernandez, 25, will spend two years and nine months behind bars respectively.
Sergeant Deacon said that the arrests brought him ‘great satisfaction’, adding: ‘We have been able to deliver some justice to the victims of these crimes’.
He added that Contreras ‘thought he got away with his crimes’ and that ‘Marquez and Carrasco did not see us coming and won’t be free for a long time’.
Sergeant Deacon also thanked both the victims and witnesses for their ‘patience and support’ with the investigation and urged any members of the public who become victims of these awful crimes to both record and report it.
He said: ‘Many of the burglaries solved as part of this investigation had looked like they would go unsolved, but the dedication of my colleagues and perseverance of the victims enabled us to get this result.
‘Equally, this investigation involved many officers and staff from multiple teams, disciplines and forces – thank you all for your hard, diligent work.’
The gang, who have been on remand in prison since their arrests, are set to face deportation once their prison sentences have been served.
