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Nassau County Police said two jewelry stores were also hit during the spree in July 2022, one near Atlantic and Ocean avenues in Freeport, and another near Northern Boulevard and Marion Street in Greenvale.
During both burglaries, the suspects cut power to the businesses, disabling their surveillance cameras and alarm systems, according to police.
They then waited for the back-up batteries to lose power before returning with commercial grade power tools to get inside and break into safes.
Investigators said multiple vehicles and cell phones were also used to conduct counter surveillance and avoid being detected by police.
In all, the two commercial burglaries resulted in more than $570,000 in losses.
Several other burglaries believed to be tied to the suspects were reported in Lawrence between July and October 2022, police said.
On Saturday, Nov. 12, Nassau County Police announced that four suspects, believed to be members of the South American Theft Group (SATG), had been arrested in connection with the burglaries.
The group has been the target of a Nassau County Police investigation since April 2022 and is believed to have committed multiple coordinated burglaries throughout the East Coast.
Police said the following suspects, all from Queens, were arrested in connection with the burglary ring:
- Mario Roberto Munoz-Acevedo, age 51
- Juan Daniel Leiva Sepulveda, age 38
- Juan Lopez Gonzalez, age 34
- Matias Ignacio Brito Baragano, age 25
Munoz-Acevedo was arraigned Saturday, Nov. 12, on two counts of third-degree burglary and was ordered held on $100,000 bond.
According to police, he made several attempts to enter the United States in August 2021, but was turned away at the Mexican border. He eventually used an alias and was able to enter the US at a later date.
Sepulveda and Gonzales were arrested in connection with a burglary at a home in Lawrence in October 2022. They were both arraigned Saturday, Nov. 12, on charges of second-degree burglary.
Sepulveda entered the US in February 2020 and is considered a Visa overstay, police said.
He was ordered held on $100,000 bond, while a judge ordered Gonzales jailed on $40,000 bond.
At the time of his arrest, Baragano was wanted on an arrest warrant out of Volusia County, Florida.
He was found to be carrying a fraudulent Mexican driver’s license, along with a phony Mexican Federal Election card and a fraudulent Republic of Argentina passport, police said.
Investigators believe he also entered the US illegally.
Baragano was ordered held at the Nassau County jail while he awaits extradition.
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