Los Angeles County officials say seven people have been charged in a series of coordinated residential burglaries that terrorized neighborhoods across the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the county. District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Sheriff Robert Luna described a pattern of sophisticated tactics and surveillance that hit homes in Reseda, Van Nuys, Encino, Granada Hills, Sun Valley, Beverlywood, Westwood, Burbank and Santa Clarita. Among the accused is Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor, also known as Kevin Diaz, and several others arrested after takedowns on freeways and in residential streets.
Prosecutors portrayed the ring as organized and methodical, focused on wealthier neighborhoods and families who expected safety at home. Authorities say the crews did extensive surveillance and sometimes monitored social media to identify when houses were empty. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman warned these were not random smash-and-grab thieves but planned operations meant to prey on homeowners.
“These organized burglary crews target hardworking families in the very place they should feel safest, their homes,” Hochman said, and he added a blunt reminder to would-be criminals: “If you come into our communities to terrorize neighborhoods and prey on innocent people, law enforcement will track you down and you will be held accountable.” Those words set the tone for a coordinated law enforcement response spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Sheriff Robert Luna explained how crews disguise themselves and use modern tools to avoid detection, with some posing as delivery drivers and others using fake equipment to blend in. Investigators say thieves have been seen carrying what look like DoorDash, Uber Eats or Amazon bags to approach properties without raising alarms. In other cases, burglars allegedly planted hidden cameras in landscaping or deployed devices to jam Wi-Fi and cloud-connected security systems.
One of the biggest cases centers on Byron Gonzálo Sáez Sotomayor, accused of a long string of break-ins through January 2025 to May 2026 across the Valley and West Los Angeles. Prosecutors say he faces multiple counts of first-degree residential burglary, attempted burglary and a grand theft charge for stealing a firearm, along with claims of taking jewelry, handbags and cash. Police allege his activity touched neighborhoods that include Reseda, Van Nuys, Encino, Granada Hills, Sun Valley, Beverlywood and Westwood.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell described the arrest of Sáez Sotomayor after a Beverlywood-area homeowner spotted movement on surveillance and called 911. The homeowner reportedly heard a loud crash, checked cameras and locked himself in a bathroom while officers responded. That incident is one reason investigators say victims felt particularly violated: the suspects struck while people were still inside their homes.
Three other suspects — Christopher Sanchez, Owen Rivera-Chacon and Edisson Fabian Boyaca — were charged in an alleged May 1 burglary in Santa Clarita, and authorities say a multi-agency effort led to their capture. Deputies stopped a vehicle on a freeway and found Sanchez; Rivera-Chacon fled on foot but was later located in a dry streambed; Boyaca was arrested driving a separate car about a mile away. Law enforcement recovered jewelry, cash, a luxury handbag, burglary tools, gloves and a Wi-Fi jammer from the vehicles tied to those arrests.
Rivera-Chacon faces additional exposure because of a prior strike conviction for residential burglary and could see a much longer sentence if convicted this time. Sanchez and Boyaca each face several years behind bars under the charges filed. Prosecutors emphasized sentences are possible that reflect the premeditated nature of these crimes and the fear they caused victims.
The final group charged includes Wilmar Santiago Castelblanco-Robles, Alan Rolando Rodriguez-Pulido and Cristian Rios-Cuadros, who are accused of an April 26 break-in in Burbank. Neighbors reportedly saw the suspects break into the house and called police, leading to a helicopter-assisted search that used heat detection to find two fleeing suspects hiding nearby. Rodriguez-Pulido was arrested in the getaway vehicle, where officers say they recovered wallets, watches, high-end handbags and jewelry taken from other victims.
Sheriff Luna pointed out that while reported residential burglaries to his department have fallen more than 30% since 2022, those statistics don’t erase the shock to victims. “A victim that has had their sanctuary broken into — I don’t care what statistics say,” Luna said, acknowledging the deep personal impact of a home invasion. He added, “They broke into my house and I don’t feel safe sleeping there. That’s why we’re all up here. That’s why we will continue to work our butts off to make sure that we catch these individuals.”
