Suspects held in Maryland linked to recent home burglaries in Orange County

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Orange County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that four men who are in custody in Maryland have been linked to residential burglaries near Chapel Hill.

Orange County Sheriff's Investigator Kevin Stewart obtained warrants against the men this week stemming from two recent home break-ins.

Luis Fernando Oyanedel Valenzuela, 23, and Jorge Orlando Gatica Vergara, 22, both citizens of Chile, face warrants for first-degree burglary, felony conspiracy, felony larceny after breaking and entering, and damage to property in connection with a December break-in.

The men are being held in Baltimore County and face full extradition to Orange County after the Maryland courts settle their criminal cases there.

"Stewart gets after it," Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said. "No detail is too small, no task too tedious as he works to link cases together. The criminal element is creative, and they are opportunistic. But they don't hustle like Stewart does, and his patience, diligence, and work ethic once again paid off."

Investigators allege that Oyanedel and Gatica broke into a home on Whirlaway Lane in the Triple Crown Farms subdivision on Dec. 17. Thieves stole jewelry, cash, and clothing, notably expensive cultural and ceremonial garments -- all worth about $61,000, according to Blackwood.

Two other men are suspected of breaking into another home on Whirlaway Lane on Jan. 19. Similar items were stolen to the tune of about $37,000. In both cases, the burglars smashed glass in the rear of the homes to gain access. Both break-ins occurred in the early evening after dark.

Investigators said they suspect the thieves conducted surveillance on the homes from positions of nearby covers, such as the wood lines between other neighborhoods.

"We feel confident that these individuals had done enough intelligence on the two residences that they broke in, that they knew there would be a beneficial grab in that home," Blackwood said. "There are other homes close by that are large homes, but these homes were picked for a reason."

Warrants have been issued against Thomas Francisco Crisosto Araya, 21, and Gabriel Alejandro Matamala Ponce, 20, for their suspected involvement with the January break-in.

Crisosto and Matamala are also Chilean citizens and face charges of second-degree burglary, felony conspiracy, felony larceny after breaking and entering, and damage to property.

In one of the break-ins, someone was home and didn't even realize intruders were in the house.

Blackwood told ABC11 that he feels confident that this is part of a larger group of people from Chile, maybe 10-15 who are targeting high-end homes.

Though the four named in these documents aren't the same people charged in break-ins in Wake County, the sheriff said he believes it is all connected to groups committing similar crimes up and down the East Coast.

Anyone with additional information is asked to please call Investigator Stewart at (919) 245-2925.