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Colombian nationals arrested for Bettendorf burglaries; hundreds of thousands in cash and property stolen
Thomas Geyer Feb 3, 2024
Three Colombian nationals whom police believe are part of a national burglary ring were arrested Friday in Altoona, Iowa, on warrants claiming they stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and property from two Bettendorf homes.
Police said the men are in the United States illegally and appeared to be part of a crime organization headquartered in Georgia.
Bettendorf Police Chief Keith Kimball said his detectives worked diligently to solve the burglaries at two Bettendorf homes, with one taking place on Jan. 24 and the other occurring on Jan. 31.
According to the arrest affidavits filed by Bettendorf Police Detective Bryan Payton, on Jan. 24, two of the men broke into the home by smashing the glass of a basement sliding door.
Once inside the home, they ransacked the master bedroom and took a safe. From that home they took $100,000 in cash, a 1-kilogram gold bar valued at $65,000, 50 gold necklaces of unknown value, passports, birth certificates, citizenship papers and other personal items and a 9mm pistol.
At the home burgled on Jan. 31, two of the men gained entry by breaking a sliding glass door at the rear of the home.
Once inside they ransacked the master bedroom and stole jewelry, including necklaces, earrings, and rings valued at more than $100,000; three Louis Vuitton handbags valued at $7,000, between $200 and $1,000 in cash and checkbooks.
Police were able to determine the men were riding in a 2019 Ford Escape with Georgia license plates.
Bettendorf city cameras, neighbor’s cameras and the Bettendorf License Plate Reader cameras captured the same 2019 Ford Escape fleeing from both burglaries.
Bettendorf Police sent out information about the vehicle to law enforcement throughout the state.
Altoona police located the vehicle Friday, and the three men were taken into custody. Property from the second burglary was seized. Footwear impressions were collected at both burglaries, and each was found to be consistent with the shoes seized from the suspects.
Also located in the rooms and the vehicle were the suspects’ clothing, facemasks, gloves and flashlights they were seen wearing and using on the victims’ home security cameras.
From the vehicle officers seized a piece of paper on which were written numerous Quad-City area addresses, and Chinese restaurant names.
Arrested are Jhon Hurtado-Advincula, 22, Luis Angulo-Garces, 32, and Luis Panameno-Rodallega, 30, all Colombian nationals whom Bettendorf Police said are in the United States illegally.
Each of the men is charged with two counts of first-degree theft and one count of second-degree burglary. Each charge is a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years.
Each is also charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony and one count of third-degree burglary. Each charge is a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years.
The men also are charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief, a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year.
Hurtado-Advincula was being held without bond Tuesday in the Scott County Jail. Angulo-Garces and Panameno-Rodallega were each being held without bond Tuesday in the Polk County Jail.
A preliminary hearing for Hurtado-Advincula is scheduled for Feb. 13, in Scott County District Court. Court records do not indicate preliminary hearing dates for Angulo-Garces and Panameno-Rodallega.