WOBURN, Mass. — Two men from New York are accused of targeting Indian and East Asian residents in Middlesex County and breaking into their homes as part of an elaborate operation, District Attorney Marian Ryan said Wednesday.
The District Attorney’s office says David Rondon-Castro, 26, and Yeison Ramirez-Garcia, 25, both from Queens, participated in a “sophisticated” operation by breaking into five homes in the summer of 2025.
The two men allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry from homes in Woburn, Wilmington, Burlington and North Reading.
Officials believe the two men used electronic surveillance to spy and on their victims and avoid police detection. Investigators say they attached GPS trackers to their victim’ vehicles; installed hidden video cameras in their yards; enabled Wi-Fi jammers that disabled security systems and had “strict discipline” regarding cell phones while engaged in break-ins.
Investigators eventually noticed suspicious vehicles in the area of each break-in and studied license plate records and cell phone data to track the suspects.
The DA’s office eventually determined the break-ins across the county were being conducted by the same group that committed similar crimes across Massachusetts and other areas of the East Coast.
Massachusetts investigators eventually tracked the group to a short-term rental outside of Baltimore.
Local detectives in Maryland obtained and executed a warrant to surveil the residence using a covert camera, which indicated that the rental was being used as a base for residential break-ins.
After collecting evidence, the detectives executed a warrant to search the property on March 1, 2026.
Rondon-Castro and Ramirez-Garcia were taken into custody.
Investigators also found a large quantity of surveillance cameras, battery packs, Wi-Fi hotspots and Wi-Fi jammers consistent with those used in the Middlesex County break-ins.
Rondon-Castro and Ramirez-Garcia were transported back to Massachusetts Tuesday night and are scheduled to be arraigned in Woburn District Court on Wednesday.
“Over the last several years, the rise in these types of calculated and sophisticated break-ins have had a chilling effect on our communities. The allegations these defendants face today are that they watched, monitored and surveilled victims based on their race and ethnicity and apparent belief that they may be more likely to have valuable heirlooms, jewelry, gold and cash in their homes as part of their heritage and culture,” Ryan said in a statement. “We know that the impact on the affected communities far exceeds the value of stolen property and we will continue to match the level of sophistication demonstrated in these crimes with coordinated and thorough investigations like this one that end with holding those accountable who are striking fear in our cities and towns.”
A third individual, Itan Dami Beltran, 26 of Bethlehem, PA was also arrested in New York City around the same time of the arrests in Baltimore. Beltran has been charged with conspiracy to commit residential break-ins for his role in the Middlesex crimes.
Beltran is expected to be moved to Massachusetts for his arraignment in Woburn District Court later this week.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW