FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Two Colombian nationals, recently authorized to work in the U.S., face burglary charges in connection with a theft operation targeting Asian business owners across multiple states.
Juan Sebastian Moyano, 20, and his brother, Juan Camilo Moyano, 18, both face burglary charges in Flagler County.
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“They were given work visas in 2024 and came here to do burglary, which was apparently their business,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
Jacksonville police arrested the brothers at a Westside home on a Flagler County warrant. Flagler detectives said the two men had been identified as suspects in a 2023 home burglary. According to investigators, the two men are also linked to similar burglaries in St. Johns County and Tallahassee.
“They targeted people of Asian descent. For whatever reason, some Asians don’t trust the banking institutions, so they are known to keep cash, jewelry, and those kinds of things. In some Asian communities, there’s a mistrust of the banking community, so they potentially keep a lot of cash at home,” Staly said.
“It’s sad when you think about it. It’s a group of individuals that are being victimized solely because of some of the beliefs they have,” said News4JAX crime and safety analyst Tom Hackney.
According to investigators, the brothers used Apple AirTag GPS trackers to follow their victim’s home.
“Once they get the life pattern, then they know when the person is not going to be home or not be at the business, and then they will burglarize their home or business,” Staly said.
Investigators are looking into whether the brothers are part of a much larger burglary ring that’s been targeting Asian business owners across the U.S. Similar burglaries have been reported in Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Washington State. In multiple cases, Apple AirTag GPS trackers were attached to the victim’s car to track their movement. Wi-Fi jammers were also used to disable wireless security systems.
Hackney said when it comes to the AirTags, people should be paying close attention to their cellphone alerts.
“It should pop up a message that says, Be aware there’s an AirTag following you. If that’s the case, you need to start looking around for where that is,” Hackney said.
And as for the Wi-Fi jammers, Hackney believes it’s a technological tool that is making it easier for burglars to strike without fear of being detected.
“A lot of people have alarms at their houses. A lot of the alarms that people have are Wi-Fi based or cellular based and there are ways around that, and this highlights ways around that,” Hackney said.
Earlier this year, Flagler County deputies discovered a hidden surveillance camera that was pointed directly at an Asian business owner’s home. There is no evidence to suggest the camera was installed by the Moyano brothers, who are now facing deportation from the US.
The case against the Moyano brothers and other similar cases across the U.S. have prompted law enforcement to warn Asian business owners to be more aware of their surroundings.