Feds say South American crew used jammers and disguises in robberies

On October 30, 2024By Karl

They arrived in construction vests and surgical masks, armed with jammers, sledgehammers and blowtorches. A bank robbery crew made up mostly of Chilean citizens hit multiple banks in California and made off with $2.5 million, according to federal prosecutors.

The crew crashed a Wells Fargo in Fresno in May and used tools to break into an ATM vault from a nearby unit and make off with more than $80,000 in cash. The next month, they made $226,000 from a Golden 1 Credit Union branch in Auburn and followed that up a few days later by stealing money from two ATMs in Clovis, each estimated to hold $150,000 to $200,000.

Surveillance footage shows a masked man pointing a spray can at the camera

But earlier this month 10 people believed to be part of the crew were charged in connection with the robberies. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California charged Alex Moyano Morales, Maite Celis Silva, Erik Osorio Olivarez, Pablo Andres Valdez Rodriguez, Rosa Francisca Bastias Serra, Camilo Andres Sepulveda Guzman, John Doe 2, Bassil Alejandro Cacosta Frias, Camilo. accused Alarcon Alarcon and Michelle Alondra Parada Muñoz on October 21. The accusations were first reported by East Bay Times.

According to prosecutors, the suspects were either scouting locations, breaking into banks or engaging in other activities related to the robberies. Authorities cite more than a dozen robberies or attempted robberies from Long Beach to Yuba City from June 14 to Sept. 22. FBI agents say they believe the same ring is linked to a robbery that occurred in Houston in January.

Many of the suspects in the case had previously been arrested in California, Florida and Chile. One of the suspects is originally from Venezuela and multiple suspects have aliases, according to court records.

An undercover informant alleges that Moyano has been linked to several robberies in other states and that he is the leader of what the FBI calls the South American Robbery Group, according to court records. Moyano was arrested March 13 in Glendale, where a warrant was issued for his arrest under the alias Nicholas Hernandez.

FBI agents said they began investigating the bank robbery crew in May and linked their signature tactics to several robberies in California. The crew wore various worker uniforms, scouted locations before the robberies, broke into an adjacent business and went to the bank, and used jammers to disable wireless security devices. They also used sledgehammers and blowtorches to break into the cellars.

Three security camera images of people wearing yellow vests, white workers' hats and dark clothes

A major break in the case came when three vehicles were linked to common robbery locations in Fresno, Modesto, Roseville, Rocklin, Yuba City and Fall River Mills, according to court records.

A silver Chevrolet Suburban, a silver Audi SUV, and a white Ford Explorer were present in or around the robberies or attempted robberies.

In September, the Chevrolet was pulled over in Simi Valley, but the driver was not affiliated with the crew. The vehicle was reported stolen by the Hertz rental company, but the driver claimed to have rented the vehicle from a club promoter known as “xtrackz”. Prosecutors did not release the club promoter’s real name, but FBI agents interviewed him and learned that the vehicle had been rented to a man named “Gordito,” who was later revealed to be Moyano.

Moyano was unaware that the Chevrolet was equipped with an Apple AirTag tracking device. The vehicle’s location history matched Airbnb rentals on multiple robberies, according to court records.

On September 18, the crew broke into a Wells Fargo in Fresno, where they made off with $247,000. According to prosecutors, the attackers cut through the wall of the pet spa next door and broke into the ATM vault. Surveillance footage taken of the suspects at the pet spa before the robbery shows one of the suspects distracting the employee while the other tested the durability of the wall. One of the suspects, wearing a backwards Los Angeles hat, is seen spray-painting the security camera outside the business with black paint.

The Airbnb was rented to Celis, who also rented several Airbnbs throughout California that matched the times and locations of many other ATM thefts or attempted thefts, according to court records.

There are men wearing caps and surgical masks on the streets of the city, one is carrying pallets

Surveillance footage from Airbnb rentals in Turlock and Mount Shasta showed suspects advancing into rental units with hard-packed toolboxes, toolboxes and backpacks that matched equipment seen in many robberies.

Vehicles affiliated with the group were also caught by license plate readers in Oregon, where at least two simultaneous ATM robberies occurred, federal investigators said. Federal agents obtained a search warrant for Instagram accounts belonging to Moyano; where they discovered Moyano had recorded a child going through large stacks of hundred-dollar bills, and in another post he was shown holding several stacks of money.

In mid-October, federal agents tracked the white Audi to an Airbnb in Oregon. The suspects rented the venue between 16 and 22 October. Three cars linked to the group were also at the rental location, according to security cameras. Valdez, Bastias, Sepulveda, Dacosta and Alarcon were present at Airbnb.

The group became suspicious of police approaching them and left in a hurry on Oct. 18, according to court records. The next day, investigators found robbery tools and toolboxes inside the abandoned rental unit.

That same day, location data from the white Audi led federal investigators to an Airbnb in Seattle. Bastias and Sepulveda were pulled over and arrested. Valdez, Dacosta, Alarcon and another man tried to drive away in a silver Ford Fiesta, but they too were pulled over.

FBI agents surrounded the Seattle home and ordered everyone out. Parada and another woman came out and were arrested. According to the FBI affidavit, Parada had to have his cell phone taken away from three agents while he was being arrested.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for the Airbnb and found nearly $20,000, along with backpacks and clothing matching those the group had worn in previous robberies, according to court records.

Celis gave birth while in custody on Monday. She asked the court to allow her to stay with her daughter after she is discharged from the hospital.