SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Police say there have been 39 cases related to the South American Theft Groups (SATG) in Scottsdale as of Tuesday, April 9.
Officials say since the trend began in November 2023, there have been 140 cases across the Valley.
Last month, Scottsdale police said three suspects were arrested related to the groups, who have been targeting neighborhoods in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, and Paradise Valley.
These new arrests occurred on March 10, after police observed suspicious activity between 8:40 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday in north Scottsdale around Pima and Yearling roads.
Scottsdale police gave an update on these arrests Tuesday morning. Watch that video in the player below:
Police first arrested a woman after she was seen driving a vehicle out of a neighborhood Sunday evening. She has been identified as 32-year-old Grecia Romanduski Gaete Castillo, from Chile.
Two males were arrested by officers Monday morning in the desert area near Pima and Jomax roads during a search of the area by a police helicopter. They have been identified as 23-year-old Sebastian Jesus Parraguez Soto of Santiago, Chile, and a 17-year-old male from Santiago, Chile.
None of the suspects were armed at the time of their arrest, police said. They have all been booked into the Scottsdale Police Jail on conspiracy and burglary-related charges.
Scottsdale PD is working to determine if these three cases are related to other known cases in Scottsdale.
