Capturing a Thief in the Daytime |
Posted: December 2, 2024 |
DATE: June 13, 2024 SUBJECT: Daytime Burglar Using a Signal Jammer Apprehended RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-NR-0612 CONTACT: Sheriff Noah Robinson AUTHORITY: Sheriff Noah Robinson Arrest daytime burglar using jammerIn a recent development, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect involved in a residential burglary that occurred during daylight hours in Cambridge Village, found in northern Vanderburgh County. On Sunday, June 9, 2024, a couple came back to their home in Cambridge Village and discovered two men inside. Both suspects quickly left the scene, with one fleeing in a gray Jeep. A description of the vehicle was provided to the Sheriff’s Office. A deputy in the area observed a Jeep that fit this description moving south on Highway 41 near Baseline Road. The driver, later confirmed to be Jaime Yovany Riquelme Riveras, corresponded with the details given by the homeowners.
Riveras relayed to deputies that he was traveling from St. Louis, Missouri, to Orlando, Florida, and he denied making any stops in the Evansville area. A query was then initiated through the FLOCK camera system. The vehicle associated with the suspect and its matching license plate were identified on FLOCK entering Cambridge Village about an hour before the burglary occurred. Recently, Cambridge Village has collaborated with the Sheriff’s Office to install the FLOCK license plate reader system in their community. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located pry bars, cell phones, as well as clothing matching the suspect`s description given by the homeowners. A signal-jamming device was also found in the rear of the vehicle. This device was specifically designed to scramble Wi-Fi and cellular signals and is illegal to operate under federal law. When activated, cameras and other security devices dependent on Wi-Fi or cellular signals cease to function. While stopping the vehicle the deputy’s in-car computer became disabled, likely a result of the still operating cell phone jammer. The FLOCK system is largely immune from signal jammers since images are stored locally in a buffer and transmitted once the lost connection is reestablished. During an interview at the Sheriff’s Office Operations Center, Riveras discussed his involvement in the burglary. He requested an attorney and opted not to provide any further statements. He did share with investigators that he arrived in the United States in April and that he hails from Chile. Utilizing eyewitness accounts and images from the FLOCK system, a search warrant was authorized for the extraction of data from two seized cell phones. One phone was taken from Riveras at the moment of his arrest, and the other was obtained from the vehicle. GPS location data confirmed that Riveras' phone was at the victim's residence during the burglary. Sheriff Noah Robinson noted, “Criminals using advanced technology found themselves outmatched by the swift responses of observant homeowners and Sheriff’s deputies. I want to express my gratitude to the Cambridge Village Homeowners Association for their support of FLOCK and their partnership with the Sheriff’s Office. The system is expected to provide lasting benefits.” The Sheriff’s Office is working alongside federal law enforcement to investigate potential additional charges linked to the jamming device. GPS data from the suspects' phones has already associated them with several burglaries occurring in other states. The investigation is still active, with Rivera's accomplice remaining at large.
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