South American Theft Group Linked to Stalking Colombian Soccer Players in Florida

Alleged Stalking of Soccer Players

• ⚽ Two members of the Colombian National Soccer Team reported being followed from the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale.
• 🚗 The players noticed a dark-colored SUV following them after leaving the Apple store and alerted the police.
• ⚠️ The incident occurred days before a significant match in Fort Lauderdale against New Zealand.

Detained Suspects and International Crime Ring

• 🚨 Police detained two men, identified as Juan Cruz Rodriguez and Edison Fona Montana, who are suspected members of the South American theft group (SAT).
• 🛂 US Border Patrol stated that both men are in the country illegally from Colombia and are being processed for removal.
• 🚗 Suspects allegedly used fake IDs to rent vehicles for their criminal activities.

SAT Group's Known Activities

• 🏈 The SAT group has been linked to high-profile burglaries targeting sports stars, including Joe Burrow, Bobby Portis, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce.
• 📍 Fort Lauderdale police noted that the detained men have extensive criminal histories in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
• 😨 The targeted soccer players expressed feeling shaken up by the experience.