String of burglaries rocking LA residential area committed by South American gangs, DA says

Seven South American gang members — including four Colombian nationals — accused of using brazen tactics to rob unsuspecting homeowners across Los Angeles, including during break-ins with terrified residents still inside, have been arrested.Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman hosted a press conference Wednesday where he described the crime spree and main offenders taken down by the LAPD.Chilean national Kevin Diaz was hit with 18 felony charges after allegedly trying to rob a home on May 4 while a family of four was inside the Rexford Drive residence, Hochman announced.The resident heard a loud crash and saw a man on surveillance video smashing through the back door with a heavy object.The homeowner ran upstairs, locked himself in a bathroom and called 911, according to Hochman.When LAPD arrived, Diaz, 22, was still inside the home and fled on foot.

Footage shown at the press conference, which also included LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell and Sheriff Robert Luna, captured Diaz running down the sidewalk with stolen items.Police set up a perimeter and arrested him.Hochman said investigators later linked Diaz to 17 other burglaries dating back to January 2025.

Diaz faces up to 26 years in prison and is believed to be part of a sophisticated burglary ring targeting Angelenos.“They are crews that are an international enterprise,” McDonnell told The California Post.“Many of these individuals are coming in on tourist Visas for 90 days exploiting the visas and then if they get caught they bail out, and go back to the country they came from,” he added. They are also using sophisticated tactics.

Luna presented hidden cameras made to look like greenery and “a jammer” which is a device “suspects carry to jam your camera system and other wifi devices connected to the cloud,” Luna said.Representatives from The Ventura County Police and Sheriff’s departments were also on hand.Hochman made it clear that all entities have been working closely toget...