Law enforcement in Central Florida has uncovered a sophisticated South American theft ring operating under the guise of “landscapers,” targeting Asian-owned homes and businesses across the state.
According to FOX 35 Orlando, multiple police agencies tracked an organized Colombian crime group accused of casing properties and executing a series of professional-style burglaries.
Five suspects, all Colombian nationals in the U.S. illegally, were arrested after one of their robberies was caught live on a police drone camera.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the five arrested are now in the Osceola County Jail on ICE detainers.
The suspects, Wendy Farias-Suarez, Johan Beltran-Prieto, Laura Pedraza-Sarmiento, Julio Lozano-Trujillo, and Elkin Cubillos-Jimenez, face charges of burglary, grand theft, and criminal mischief.
Police say the crew belongs to a larger Colombian network known for targeting Asian homeowners and small business owners in Florida. Their methods were calculated and chillingly organized, often spending weeks staking out victims’ homes.
Investigators say the thieves disguised themselves as everyday neighbors, even dribbling basketballs outside homes to avoid suspicion, while secretly installing trail cameras in trees to monitor when homeowners were away.
On October 20, a police drone captured the group in action near Mills and State Road 50 in Orlando.
Two men, posing as landscapers in straw hats and jeans, approached a residence owned by Asian homeowners while the rest of the team acted as lookouts. They broke through the back door, filled trash bags with stolen goods, and fled the scene.
Deputies later recovered four Louis Vuitton purses worth $11,100, designer shoes, and $10,000 in cash.
Victim Le Trinh, owner of SNS Spa Nail Supply, said she was followed and surveilled for weeks before her home was broken into on her birthday.
BREAKING: Florida police just busted a COLOMBIA THEFT RING run by illegal aliens, disguised as “landscapers.”
“5 suspects now sit in jail…ALL 5 are Colombian nationals in the US illegally with ICE detainers.”
“This Colombian crime ring had FAKE uniforms and detailed maps… pic.twitter.com/I9CYV11ckL
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 24, 2025
