Four Chilean Burglars Jailed After Jewellery Heist in Wimbledon
Four Chilean crooks have been locked up for a smashing jewellery burglary in Wimbledon. Danko Esteban Carvajal-Donaire, 20, Nicolas Portilla Astorga, 27, Claudi Donoso, 20, and Jorge Daniel Rojas, 22 — all with no fixed address — were convicted at Kingston Crown Court for conspiracy to commit burglary and going equipped to steal.
40 Months Behind Bars for Jewellery Theft
The quartet were each sentenced to 40 months in prison after being caught red-handed. The court heard they form part of an organised crime gang that targets the UK, commits crimes, then dashes back to Chile.
Chased After Theft in October 2019
- Police were called around 6pm on 11 October 2019 after a Wimbledon home was burgled.
- The residents returned to find a stash of unique jewellery missing.
- Officers zeroed in on a suspicious Black Honda HR-V spotted near the scene.
- On 15 October, Surrey police stopped the vehicle in Redhill and arrested the four inside.
Stolen Bling and Tools Found, Messages Exposed
Upon arrest, police found gloves, torches, a screwdriver, and a glass-breaker on the suspects. Further searches uncovered photos advertising the stolen jewellery for sale. Strikingly, photos showed Carvajal-Donaire and Portilla-Astorga wearing the nicked gear. Even Rojas was caught wearing a stolen necklace during his arrest.
Translated messages in Spanish revealed the gang was arranging sales of the stolen loot. All four pleaded guilty and are now behind bars.
