6 Arrested in Connection With 2 Anaheim Theft Rings

Anaheim police Friday announced the arrest of suspects in 2 alleged theft rings.

One ring involved the theft of wallets and purses from hotel guests in the Disneyland area, and the other ring specialized in stealing computers, facsimile machines and cellular car phones.

Lt. Jack Para, commander of Anaheim’s property crimes bureau, said 3 men were arrested on suspicion of grand theft at the Anaheim Marriott hotel Friday after they had fled from the neighboring Anaheim Hilton and Towers, where employees had spotted them.

Para said the Hilton employees recognized the suspects from police flyers given to them. The employees notified the Marriott’s security staff and the arrests followed.

Last Monday, another person suspected of being connected with the same theft ring was arrested after a similar incident.

Police said there have been five cases of grand theft in the Disneyland Hotel area in the last 4 days.

In four of the cases, police said, the victims were Asian tourists.

The thieves had been operating in groups of at least three, police said, so as to distract the guests as their wallets and purses were taken.

Booked at the Anaheim jail were Jorge Gonzales, 34, Manuel Juanes, 21, and Sergio Zapata, 38, all Colombian nationals, police said.

Anaheim police arrested two men on Wednesday who are suspects in at least 12 commercial burglaries in the east Anaheim area involving costly electronic office equipment and stereos.

Jailed on suspicion of grand theft were David Owen Wiggins, 27, and Martin Aaron Pfortmiller, 21, both of Anaheim. More than $50,000 in stolen equipment has been recovered, police said. The two men were taken to Orange County Jail, with their bail set at $25,000.

The arrests were made after Orange police, who had arrested the same pair on suspicion of attempted burglary, notified Anaheim detectives. The Anaheim detectives linked the men to the Anaheim incidents, Para said.