Orange County Sheriff’s Department Arrests 4 More Suspects Connected to String of Burglaries

A crime scene is marked by the Irvine Police Department in Irvine, Calif., on May 5, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced on Aug. 24 the arrest of four more suspects related to a string of burglaries across the county.

The department’s Directed Enforcement Team found the suspects while they were burglarizing a residential home in the city of Irvine on Blue Note St. on Aug. 23 at approximately 9:30 pm. The homeowners returned home during the burglary, and the burglars attempted to flee the scene in two different vehicles but were blocked by deputies.

The suspects were later identified as Johan Martin Rivera Zambrano, 31, Tonathiu Enrique Najera Torres, 44, Jorge Damian Hernandez Barraga, 28, and Diego Aguilar Gonzalez, 30, with all the suspects having an unknown city of residence.

Video of the incident online shows a struggle between deputies and the alleged burglars before they were taken into custody.

The four individuals arrested at the crime scene are believed to be connected to the other two burglars arrested by the sheriff’s department Aug. 14, where $250,000 of stolen jewelry was found in the getaway car. OCSD didn’t find stolen goods this time as the burglary was interrupted.

“The Directed Enforcement Team, through their ongoing investigation, has determined that the suspects are related to numerous burglaries that occurred throughout Orange County,” Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sergeant Ryan Anderson told The Epoch Times. “We also do believe that they are related to the burglary suspects who were arrested back on August 14.”

In regards to the Irvine arrest, the department learned on further investigation that one of the suspects was used as a “lookout” during the crime, and also switched the license plates on one of their cars to avoid detection by police. Burglary and prying tools were also found in and outside of the vehicles, the department said.

After their arrest, the suspects provided false names, and police later learned that three of the four suspects had outstanding warrants from Los Angeles for burglary-related charges.

While recent burglaries have affected Newport Beach and Irvine, the majority have been located in South Orange County, including the cities of Laguna Hills, San Juan Capistrano, and Rancho Santa Margarita.

“The investigation is still ongoing to determine whether or not there are more suspects involved,” Anderson said.