Sarasota Police: Five People Arrested in Connection to Burglary on Tangier Way

Five people have been arrested in connection to a burglary that happened on Tangier Way on August 4, 2022.  Sarasota Police detectives do not believe the suspects and victims knew one another.  The five suspects were arrested on August 8, 2022, in Orlando by deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.   The suspects were transferred to the Sarasota County Jail on August 11, 2022.  The five people who were arrested are:

• Andres Felipe Suarez Lopez, 28 (extradited to Broward County)

• Jefferson Javier Nunez Suarez, 32 (bonded out of the Sarasota County Jail)

• Oscar Daniel Londono Rubiano, 35 (at SCSO Jail)

• Juan Camilo Cuartas Castellanos, 32 (at SCSO Jail)

• Juan Quinones, 50 (at SCSO Jail)

They are each facing felony charges of:

• • Grand theft of over $100,000
  • Residential burglary with property damage
  • Possession of burglary tools

PCAs are attached.  Booking photos and evidence photos can be downloaded at received this link https://cloudbox.sarasotagov.com/?ShareToken=DF25BAFCD698937723568E9EB32D40EF466E4A02

On August 4, 2022, just after 8:30 p.m., Sarasota Police patrol officers were dispatched to a home on Tangier Way for a residential burglary.  The victims had returned from dinner and found a large glass door had been broken, and a safe in a closet had been cut and pried open.  Stolen from the safe were passports, vehicle titles, and more than $200,000 in designer handbags and jewelry.

Sarasota Police detectives obtained surveillance video from outside the home that showed three men entering the home wearing gloves and masks during the burglary.  While the suspects were outside the home, one of the suspects was talking on a radio to an unknown person.  Detectives believe this unknown person was another suspect who was on the lookout for the victims to return.

Sarasota Police detectives were able to review video footage and track the vehicle, a Honda Odyssey van, that left the home after the burglary.  The same van was found at the restaurant the victims were having dinner at before the burglary happened.  Another vehicle, a midsize SUV, was seen on video pulling into a parking lot near the restaurant but no one left the vehicle and it did not move while the victims were inside.  It’s believed the suspects in the SUV were in communication with the suspects in the van.  Sarasota Police detectives located the SUV that was the “lookout car” as a rental out of Ft. Lauderdale.  Detectives found the van and the “lookout car” at a hotel in Orange County.

On August 8, 2022, a search warrant was approved by a judge in Orange County, Florida. A search warrant for the two involved vehicles and a hotel room was executed by deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.  During the search warrant, five people were arrested and refused to speak with law enforcement.  Evidence collected in the room included:

• Clothing worn by the suspects during the crime,
• Large amounts of cash totaling $122,212
• Louis Vuitton handbags,
• Jewelry including watches, necklaces, earrings, rings,
• Multiple cell phones,
• Multiple forms of identification from different states and countries.

Evidence collected from the two vehicles included:

• Louis Vuitton handbags,
• Jewelry including watches, necklaces, earrings, rings,
• High-end liquor bottles,
• GPS electronic trackers,
• Saw with several blades,
• Screwdrivers and crowbars,
• Three walkie-talkies and two speakers
• Radio frequency jammer
• Several pairs of black/gray gloves
• Clothing worn by the suspects during the crime,

Residents throughout the City of Sarasota are encouraged 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