PHOENIX — Seven Colombian nationals are behind bars in Maricopa County after Scottsdale police say they dismantled an organized theft ring that targeted homes across the West Coast, with Arizona as the group’s latest stop.
The suspects — four men and three women — were arrested last week at a short-term rental property near Scottsdale’s Fashion Square Mall. Their capture followed a coordinated surveillance operation by Scottsdale police, who say they tracked the group after receiving a tip from authorities in Burbank, California.
According to police, the suspects had left a burglary trail through Washington, Oregon, and California before arriving in the Phoenix metro area. Officers began surveillance after learning the group was staying at an Airbnb property. The suspects were caught at that home after undercover detectives watched them burglarize two homes in Tempe and Mesa, court documents said…