Evansville police arrest three implicated in 'international theft ring'

Houston Harwood, Evansville Courier & Press
·2 min read

EVANSVILLE — Three Chilean nationals are in custody at the Vanderburgh County jail after they were arrested near the East Side Sam's Club, allegedly in possession of hundreds of credit cards, several stolen purses and a large amount of cash.

The Evansville Police department said the three individuals belong to an "international theft ring" which has also targeted shoppers in Marion, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Javiera Ignacia Cabello Solis, 21; Nelson Andres Contrerars, 38; and Katherinne Valeska Molina Castro, 28, were booked into the Vanderburgh County jail late Thursday night and early Friday morning, according to booking records.

EPD Sgt. Nick Winsett said they are preliminarily charged with theft, forgery, fraud and conspiracy. Vanderburgh County court records did not publicly list their first scheduled court appearances as of Friday afternoon.

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Other than noting their status as foreign nationals, the EPD did not publicly disclose how detectives connected them to international, organized crime.

Evidence recovered by Evansville Police Department detectives following the arrest of three people Thursday who stand accused of participating in an "international theft ring."
Evidence recovered by Evansville Police Department detectives following the arrest of three people Thursday who stand accused of participating in an "international theft ring."

According to Winsett, the arrests follow a report from an elderly shopper at an East Side clothing store who said she was pickpocketed around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Around that same time, an EPD financial crimes detective began patrolling the area in response to reports from other shoppers who said they were pickpocketed by people clad in face masks.

Winsett said the detective observed three suspects matching that description exit the East Virginia Street Sam's Club. He reportedly followed their vehicle and pulled them over.

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"After the vehicle was stopped, hundreds of credit cards, purses and a large amount of cash was found in the vehicle," Winsett wrote in a news release. "It turns out the elderly lady's pocketbook, that was stolen earlier, was recovered as well as newly purchased gift cards worth thousands of dollars."

According to the EPD, the group purchased those gift cards with stolen credit cards.

Evansville police said they contacted law enforcement agencies in Marion and Nashville to coordinate pursuing additional charges in those jurisdictions.

Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpess.com

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville police arrest three implicated in 'international theft ring'