Five arrested in Sarasota burglary, jewel heist

The suspects were taken into custody in an Orlando hotel following a local investigation.

By Eric Garwood
| 9:55 a.m. August 19, 2022

Sarasota
News

Aug 24 update: The burglary case that happened on Tangier Way on August 4, 2022, continues to be under investigation by the Sarasota Police Department. Several of the items and some of the U.S. currency that was collected during a search warrant in Orlando by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office did not all belong to the victims on Tangier Way. This is a multi-agency investigation. Sarasota Police detectives believe the five people arrested are connected to similar types of burglaries in Pinellas Park and the Orlando area. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070.

Previous version: Five men have been arrested in connection with a home burglary in South Sarasota that police said resulted in the theft from a safe of more than $200,000 in designer handbags and jewelry, along with such documents as vehicle titles and passports.

Safety tips

Police recommend residents to to always:

Lock front, back, and side doors, and install additional locks if possible,
Install and use home security systems if possible,
Make sure garage doors are locked and lock the door within a garage that has access to a home,
Lock car doors and do not keep garage openers or keys inside,
Remain vigilant. Familiarize yourself with your community,
Exercise caution when answering the door,
Do not keep valuables and documents in plain sight. Try to find an unusual spot to keep expensive property,
If you see something suspicious, report it to law enforcement immediately.

Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to call Detective Steven Fergus at 941-263-6059 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies arrested the five in Orlando, and they were brought last week to Sarasota County Jail on charges of grand theft of over $100,000, residential burglary with property damage and possession of burglary tools.

Arrested were: Andres Felipe Suarez Lopez, 28, who has since been extradited to face other charges in Broward County; Jefferson Javier Nunez Suarez, 32, who was released on bond; Oscar Daniel Londono Rubiano, 35; Juan Camilo Cuartas Castellanos, 32; and Juan Quinones, 50.

Police on Aug. 4 were called to the waterfront home on Tangier Way near Siesta Key on a report of a burglary after the homeowners reported a large glass door had been shattered and a closet safe forced open.

Surveillance video obtained by police showed three men in masks and gloves entering the home while another man stood outside speaking into a two-way radio. Two vehicles were connected to the men, and a statewide alert was posted for the minivan and SUV. Other video from a restaurant showed the five men together.

Police believe one of the vehicles was a lookout and a suspect was inside in contact with suspects at the scene.

Both vehicles were subsequently spotted at an Orlando-area Hyatt Hotel, near the intersection of Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike.

During a search of the vehicles and hotel room, Orange County authorities reported finding the same clothes worn by the men in the security video, along with more than $120,000 in cash, designer handbags, an array of jewelry, several cell phones, several forms of differing identification, saw blades and other tools, gloves, walkie-talkies and other technical gear.

The five men were arrested at the hotel.