Police: ‘Tourist burglars’ charged in break-ins

GREENWICH — Eight people, part of crews known as “tourist burglars,” have been accused of breaking into homes in Fairfield and Westchester counties, police said.

After months of investigating, Greenwich police said detectives secured arrest warrants this month for the eight people, who comprised two separate, unrelated burglary crews. The arrest warrants charge three people in connection with a burglary that occurred in Old Greenwich, while the other five suspects are accused of a burglary in the mid-country part of town, police said.

All eight people are in custody in other states for separate burglaries along the East Coast, Greenwich police said. The people charged are in the process of being extradited, “which can take some time since they are wanted in other places,” Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella said.

The area has been experiencing many burglaries committed by separate criminal groups, commonly called “tourist burglars,” the department said. “Tourist burglars” typically enter the United States, commit several burglaries in an area and then return to their home country, according to police.

“The problem has become pervasive in the greater tristate area, as well as other regions of the country,” Greenwich police said.

The town has had more than 70 residential burglaries since October 2021. In these burglaries, police said the suspects hit high-end properties in the evening hours after sunset while the residents were not home. Police said the suspects entered the homes through second-floor windows or doors. However, if a home had an active alarm system, police said the suspects fled the area and did not steal any items.

Police urged residents to lock their doors and windows, as well as activate their alarm systems when not home. If on vacation or out for the evening, police advised residents to illuminate their home on the inside and ask neighbors to hold their mail and deliveries.

Greenwich police have been working with law enforcement agencies in New York and New Jersey, as well as the FBI, to identify and arrest these crews.

The arrest warrants will charge Stefano R. Cortes Munoz, Cesar A. Almedia and Axil J. Castillo-Almedia in connection with the Old Greenwich burglary. The three are in custody in Delaware for committing burglaries there and elsewhere on the East Coast.

Cortes Munoz, of Santiago, Chile, will be charged with third-degree burglary and first-degree larceny and his bond was set at $2.5 million.

Almedia-Casas, of East Elmhurst, N.Y., will be charged with third-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary. He was held on a $500,000 bond.

Castillo-Almedia, of East Elmhurst, N.Y., will be charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and bond was set at $500,000.

Police identified the other five suspects charged with the burglary in the mid-country section of town as Francisco J. Maturana, Lautaro-Alejand D. Achiardi, Lidia Gil-Andreu, Felipe A. Hermosilla-Lizama and Rodrigo Hermosilla-Lizama.

The arrest warrants charge Maturana, of Kissimmee, Fla., and the other four suspects, all residents of East Meadow, N.Y., with conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary and had their bonds set at $50,000.

The five suspects are in custody in New York for committing burglaries there and elsewhere, police said.