Members of a large-scale burglary ring that allegedly targeted homes in Upper Saucon Township and beyond have been apprehended and are facing charges, authorities announced Friday.
Authorities said the guns pictured represent a “small portion” of the weapons recovered from members of a burglary ring that has allegedly been operating in the area. (Credit: Lehigh County District Attorney’s office)
In a news release, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan identified Roger Juan Tirado, 51, of Allentown; Jose Luis Torres, 51, of Carnegie, Allegheny County; Jonathan Mendez, 47, of Allentown; Nydia Tirado, 59, of Allentown; Agapito Pagan-Liciaga, 48, of Allentown; and William Tirado-Liciaga, 65, of Allentown as alleged members of the burglary ring, which his office said has committed numerous break-ins in Lehigh, Northampton and Berks counties in Pennsylvania and at least one residential property in western New Jersey over the past five years.
According to the information released Friday, authorities began investigating a series of burglaries that appeared to share similarities in June 2019. These break-ins or attempted break-ins occurred in Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Lower Macungie Township, Salisbury Township, South Whitehall Township, Upper Saucon Township, Upper Milford Township, Whitehall Township, Warren Township, N.J., and in unspecified municipalities in Berks and Northampton counties, authorities said.
“Entry was made by prying open doors with a flat-blade object, breaking windows or through an unsecured entryway,” generally during the daytime, the news release said. “Although most of the homes targeted were unoccupied, in several cases residents and children were home at the time of the burglaries and the defendants fled after being discovered,” it noted.
Authorities said that among the items that were stolen from the targeted homes were cash, at least 37 guns, coins, jewelry, electronics and financial documents, and that stolen items that have been recovered so far have an estimated value of more than $160,000.
“Several home surveillance cameras captured images during several of the burglaries, but the defendants avoided identification by always wearing masks and gloves and (parking) any vehicles they used several blocks away,” the news release noted. Upon his arrest, police said Torres was allegedly in possession of “a similar face mask” to one a suspect was seen wearing in the surveillance footage.
Police said the individuals charged so far are facing the following charges in connection to the case:
• Roger Juan Tirado: Knowledge that Property is the Proceeds of an Illegal Act, Proceeds of Unlawful Act to Avoid a Transaction Reporting Requirement, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Receiving Stolen Property and Burglary, all felonies of the first degree; multiple counts of Receiving Stolen Property (misdemeanors of the first, second and third degree); Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, a felony of the third degree; Tampering With/Fabricating Physical Evidence, a misdemeanor of the second degree; Person Not to Possess, Use, Manufacture, Control, Sell or Transfer Firearms, a felony of the second degree; Firearms Not to Be Carried Without a License, a felony of the third degree; Theft, a felony of the third degree; and Possessing an Instrument of Crime, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
• Nydia Tirado: Dealing in Proceeds Unlawful Act/Intent to Promote and Receiving Stolen Property, both felonies of the first degree; Conspiracy to Receiving Stolen Property, a felony of the third degree; and Tampering With/Fabricating Evidence and Conspiracy to Tampering With/Fabricating Evidence, both misdemeanors of the second degree.
• William Tirado-Liciaga: Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Knowledge that Property is the Proceeds of an Illegal Act and Dealing in Proceeds Unlawful Act/Intent to Promote, all felonies of the first degree.
• Jonathan Mendez: Dealing in Proceeds Unlawful Act/Intent to Promote, Knowledge that Property is the Proceeds of an Illegal Act, Receiving Stolen Property and Conspiracy to Commit Receiving Stolen Property, all felonies of the first degree.
• Jose Luis Torres: Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary and Possession of Firearm Prohibited, all felonies of the first degree; Theft by Unlawful Taking and Firearms Not to Be Carried Without a License, both felonies of the third degree; and Possession of an Instrument of Crime, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
• Agapito Pagan-Liciaga: Two counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, a felony of the third degree; Receiving Stolen Property, a felony of the second degree; Tampering With/Fabricating Physical Evidence and Obstructing/Impeding Justice, both misdemeanors of the second degree.
“This case remains under investigation and not all the defendants are in custody,” the DA’s office said.
The case has been investigated by Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Anthony Oliveri and Galen Clemons, Whitehall Township Police Detective Mark Schwendeman and South Whitehall Township Detective Tyler Doherty, according to the news release, which noted that a joint investigative operation led by Pennsylvania State Police, South Whitehall Township Police, Whitehall Township Police and Upper Saucon Township Police also received support from the state police Special Emergency Response Team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, Pennsylvania State Parole Agents and the Northampton and Berks County District Attorney offices.
The case will be prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Eric K. Dowdle and Assistant District Attorney Michael Stitt, it was also announced.
Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s office.
