Another Chilean man arrested as Montco targeted by ‘South American Theft Groups'

Another Chilean man has been arrested in Montgomery County, just a day after four other Chilean men were apprehended in Abington, that police said were tied to "South American Theft Groups."

According to law enforcement officials in Lower Merion Township, police arrested 25-year-old Claudeo Alexander Fuentez-Soto, the driver of a vehicle who, officers claim, fled the scene of a burglary reported at a home along the 600 block of Woodleave Road, in Bryn Mawr at about 6:35 p.m. on Saturday.

Officials claim that Fuentez-Soto is a Chilean national who was in possession of false identification from Venezuela at the time of his arrest.

His arrest came after a homeowner reported to police that he spotted three individuals on home security footage while they were away from their home and officials claim, responding officers found Fuentez-Soto driving a car fleeing the scene.

Three other men, police believe, fled on foot.

Fuentes-Soto has been charged with burglary and related offense and, police said, he is being held in Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail.

The investigation of this incident is ongoing and officials said that anyone who believes that they have information that would aid in the investigation is asked to contact the Lower Merion Police.

Fuentez-Soto is now the fifth man from Chile who has recently been arrested and tied to burglaries that happened homes throughout Montgomery County.

On Dec. 8, four men who police believe are part of, what officials called "South American Theft Groups," were arrested after being apprehended in Abington Township.

In this case too, all of the men arrested -- Alvaro Javier Ganin Ganin, 36, Jorge Fabrizeo Sepulveda Alvarez, 34, Vaster Miller Guajardo Pedrero, 31, Nicolas Andres Matus Lucero, 29 -- were from Chile and were in possession of fraudulent identification cards or no identification at all, officials said.

Law enforcement officials said a search of the vehicle in the Abington Township case yielded numerous burglary tools, which included masks, gloves, flashlights, pry bars, reciprocating saw, and a glass break tool.

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These men also possessed photos and GPS navigational directions to specific homes and locations in the Meadowbrook neighborhood that they were casing, according to police.

These four individuals are in custody at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility pending arraignment.

Abington Township Police said, since 2021, they have been investigating residential burglaries in Meadowbroook that officials believe are tied the these theft groups.

In fact, recently, dog walkers have been called on to keep an eye out for their neighbors after a recent string of burglaries hit several wealthy Main Line communities.