BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham Police arrested four suspects last week who are believed to be part of a national burglary ring targeting Asian families.
Court documents state that BPD’s investigation began when a family in the Cordata Neighborhood reported a burglary on Feb. 18. One of the family members owns a nail salon in Bellingham, which aligned with the group’s common criteria of robbing its targets while they were busy at work.
Investigators used surveillance video to identify the suspects’ cars and connect them to three other burglaries that also targeted Asian families in Snohomish and Mill Creek. They then got a warrant to place GPS trackers on the cars and watched as they traveled to Anacortes at the same time another family of Asian descent there had their house burglarized.
After conducting more surveillance on the vehicles, investigators identified four men as primary suspects: 46-year-old Daniel Sanchez Castillo, 44-year-old Jefren Moreno Godoy, 52-year-old Edward Rodriguez and 41-year-old Kenver Cores Romero. All four are listed as residents of Houston, TX.
In all, the group is believed to have stolen roughly $1.4 million in cash, jewelry, purses and other valuables from across northwest Washington.
Investigators also believe them to be part of a larger organization called the South American Theft Group, which has been reported to target Asian families in nearly every state in the country.
All four were arrested on Friday, Feb 20, and booked into the Whatcom County Jail on several felony charges for criminal conspiracy, including hate crime. More charges from jurisdictions outside of Bellingham are expected to follow.
They pled not guilty during their arraignment in Whatcom County Superior Court on Monday, Feb. 23.
Their jury trial is scheduled to begin on April 13.
