Recent arrests in Scottsdale highlight a pattern of theft targeting the elderly, with two Columbian nationals, Daniel Ortega, 26, and Luis Jimenez-Mojica, 37, at the center of a spate of criminal activities. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, these men, believed to be part of the South American Theft Group, were apprehended last Wednesday, following a collaborative investigation that spanned multiple agencies and cases.
In one of the reported incidents, an 84-year-old woman, while shopping at a Scottsdale grocery store, had her wallet stolen leading to over $4,000 in fraudulent credit card charges; subsequent investigations by the Scottsdale Police unveiled a broader series of crimes including at least five thefts and over $10,000 in fraudulent transactions in their jurisdiction alone, this information on the broader pattern of incidents and the suspects' alleged connection to them comes from a statement obtained by 12 News.
Further connections are being made to similar offenses across the Valley, including three thefts tied to the pair by Goodyear Police, following an MO involving the theft of purses or wallets followed by large scale fraudulent purchases. "The South American Theft Group was responsible for at least five thefts and over $10,000 in fraudulent purchases in Scottsdale cases alone," the Scottsdale Police remarked, as noted by FOX 10 Phoenix.
An interrogation of the suspects brought out confessions that they have been repeatedly visiting Arizona and perpetrating these crimes to acquire laptops for resale in California, and one suspect, in particular, admitting to being part of a criminal scheme to generate profit through fraudulent purchases according to court records cited by 12 News. Local law enforcement continues to dig deeper, investigating whether Jimenez-Mojica and Ortega are implicated in additional crimes beyond those already uncovered.
Both men now face multiple charges including theft-purse snatch, theft-organized retail, and identity-related offenses amidst ongoing inquiries into their criminal network.
