A gang of teenage burglars accused of targeting nearly 80 Bay Area homes and vehicles is behind bars after investigators unraveled a months-long crime spree that included stolen firearms, high-speed chases and an alleged fencing operation that netted roughly $250,000 in suspected stolen property.
Investigation and Arrests
Concord police released surveillance video of the burglary spree, showing the suspects breaking into parked vehicles in the early morning hours before using stolen garage door openers to gain access to attached garages, where investigators said they stole power tools, firearms and other valuables.
The break in the case came in late June, when Concord detectives working with the Richmond Police Department identified four juveniles believed to be behind the burglary spree. One suspect was already being held in juvenile hall in connection with an unrelated case. Investigators then obtained arrest and search warrants for the remaining three.
In July, the Concord Police Department SWAT Team executed simultaneous warrants with assistance from the Antioch Police Department, Pittsburg Police Department, Central County SWAT and the U.S. Marshals Service. All three outstanding suspects were arrested.
Searches of their residences led to the recovery of two firearms stolen during the burglaries, police said. A third stolen firearm had previously been recovered by the Richmond Police Department during a separate investigation.
Fencing Operation
As detectives dug deeper, they uncovered what prosecutors describe as an organized fencing operation. Investigators identified 37-year-old Wuillian Cordova-Cubias of Oakland as the alleged buyer of stolen property, accusing him of purchasing power tools from the juvenile suspects, often shortly after the burglaries occurred.
On Aug. 5, detectives with the Concord Police Department, Oakland Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service executed a search warrant at Cordova-Cubias’ Oakland home. Police said the search uncovered what investigators believe was the hub of a regional fencing operation. Inside, detectives found at least 500 suspected stolen power tools, along with a stolen ATV, a stolen forklift, an unregistered firearm and numerous other high-value items.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
