Men with suspected ties to South American theft group sentenced for Camarillo robbery

Pursuit suspects flee on foot in Lake Balboa neighborhood

At least four suspects fled on foot after leading officers on a pursuit through parts of the west San Fernando Valley.

VENTURA, Calif. - Two Chilean nationals, believed to be part of a South American theft group, were each sentenced Monday to less than a year in jail for a home robbery in Camarillo that happened back in March, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's office.

Enrico Francisco Martinez, 18, of Chile, and Byron Manuel Moris Perez, 25, of Chile, both pleaded guilty in relation to charges stemming from a burglary at a Camarillo home on March 2. According to the DA's office, a Camarillo resident reported that multiple people had broken into their home. When deputies arrived, the suspects had fled, but their car was seen leaving the scene.

Deputies tried to pull them over, but the suspects led authorities on a chase along the 101 Freeway from Camarillo to Van Nuys. According to deputies, one of them threw a duffel bag out of the car during the chase, which deputies later found burglary tools. Martinez and another man were arrested after the chase. Martinez, who was determined to be the driver of the vehicle in that chase, and a juvenile suspect were arrested a week later on March 9.

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Martinez and Perez were charged with first-degree residential burglary, conspiracy to commit first-degree residential burglary, and resisting arrest, while Perez was also charged with evading arrest and possession of burglary tools. The two pleaded guilty to all charges. Martinez was sentenced to 364 days in Ventura County Jail and two years probation, while Perez was sentenced to 300 days in Ventura County Jail and three years probation.