Jhonn Pulido Betancur is charged with robbery in the second degree. Photo courtesy of the Mount Pleasant Police Department

Mount Pleasant police have arrested two men suspected of being part of a South American burglary ring targeting Indian and Chinese-American households in New York and several states.

Police arrested Johan Matallana-Gomez, 29, and Jhonn Pulido Betancur, 46, while burglarizing a home on Swanson Drive. One of the suspects is in the country illegally.

At approximately 8:08 p.m., Friday, November 1, a resident called police and reported hearing broken glass coming from her neighbor’s home. Mount Pleasant Police responded within minutes. Officer Lester soon discovered a broken window and other officers quickly established a perimeter around the home.

At 8:15 p.m., Matallana-Gomez fled through a sliding back door and, in a desperate escape maneuver, jumped a fence to a lower terraced yard, where he fractured his right ankle on landing. Officers caught him immediately. Moments later, Pulido Betancur attempted to escape by jumping from a second floor deck, only to be quickly tackled by Sergeant Mann, Officer Perucci and Officer Fimmano.

Police Chief Paul Oliva said an accomplice may have fled the scene in a vehicle when police arrived, and the investigation remains ongoing.

“It was a fantastic patrol job and I am very proud of their quick response and their professionalism,” Chief Oliva said. “Unfortunately, we are not immune to the problems caused by an open border policy, but we will continue to do our job to protect the community.”

Police discovered a Wi-Fi jammer brought by the two and left in the residence when they fled. The jammer is used to disable security cameras and Wi-Fi connections. The investigation suggests that these suspects may be connected to a wider criminal organization targeting families of Indian and Chinese origin. Victims fall into this category, and jamming is a tool that was used by this particular hacking ring.

Police transported one suspect to police headquarters and the other to Westchester Medical Center before undergoing surgery for his injuries. Both men were charged with burglary in the second degree, a Class C felony. Matallana-Gomez remains in custody at Westchester Medical Center and Betancur is currently being held at the Westchester County Jail. Both men could be eligible for release this week due to current bail laws.

“On behalf of our entire community, I commend our Mount Pleasant Police Department for their quick and efficient response to last night’s burglary. Thanks to your professionalism and quick action, two dangerous individuals were removed from our streets and our residents can feel safer knowing that our officers are alert and prepared,” said Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi.