Simi Valley Police arrest 4 Chilean nationals linked to $3 million jewelry heist

Simi Valley jewelry store heist suspects arrested

Police arrested four people accused of stealing millions of dollars' worth of merchandise from a Simi Valley jewelry store by slithering through the coffee shop next door and drilling through the wall.

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - Four suspects linked to a South American Theft Group (SATG) responsible for a string of high-value commercial burglaries across Southern California were arrested by Simi Valley police.

What we know:

In a statement, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced the arrests of four suspects: Sergio Machuca, 28; Manuel Ibarra, 37; Camilo Lara, 32; and Heidy Trujillo, 25.

More than $600,000 in stolen property has been recovered to date, authorities said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Simi Valley Jewelry Heist: Slithering suspect cuts through wall and safe to steal millions

Jewelry store thief cuts through side of safe

A thief robbed a Simi Valley jewelry store by slithering through the coffee shop next door and cutting into the side of the safe.

During these arrests and the subsequent search warrant in the 6700 block of De Soto Avenue, detectives recovered large amounts of stolen jewelry, cash, and designer watches. Many of these items were confirmed to be those taken during the Simi Valley 5-Star Jewelry/Dr. Conkey’s burglary. A stolen firearm from an unrelated Los Angeles burglary was also located during the investigation. 

Notably, some of the suspects were found wearing or transporting items that had been reported stolen, further strengthening the case against them.

All suspects were booked into the Ventura County Main Jail on felony charges, including commercial burglary, grand theft, conspiracy, and possession of stolen property. Suspect Machuca also had a felony burglary warrant out of New Jersey.

The backstory:

On May 26, officers responded to a reported burglary at Dr. Conkey’s Candy & Coffee on Cochran Street.

Security footage shows a man slithering on the floor of a candy/coffee shop next door to the jewelry store that was robbed. 

The suspect entered Dr. Conkey's Candy & Coffee shop through the roof. He then slithered his way to the wall adjacent to the jewelry store, then used power tools to cut through six to eight inches of concrete. Once the wall was cut, the suspect then cut through the safe of the jewelry store. 

Authorities said the suspects entered the business through a hole cut in the roof and then tunneled through an interior wall into the adjacent 5-Star Jewelry store. 

A safe containing approximately $3.5 million in cash, high-end watches, and precious jewelry was stolen.

The backstory:

SVPD detectives were already investigating a similar burglary at a nearby pawn shop just days before the Dr. Conkey's Candy & Coffee incident, leading them to connect the two events, authorities said.

Through coordinated efforts with local, state, and federal agencies, detectives utilized surveillance footage, license plate reader (LPR) data, and a forensic review of digital evidence to identify several suspects tied to a SATG, a network known for committing organized and targeted commercial burglaries. 

All suspects were Chilean nationals who had been in California for an undetermined amount of time, officials said. 

What's next:

The investigation is ongoing, and additional arrests or charges are possible.