January 1, Colombian Carjacking Ring BUSTED in California — What Cops Found Will Shock You

Wyatt’s Take

• Two Colombian nationals arrested in stolen Mercedes after violent carjacking and linked residential burglary — this is what happens when borders aren’t secure
• One suspect had an outstanding felony warrant from Colorado — how many states before we deport these criminals?
• Technology caught them this time, but sanctuary state policies keep attracting foreign crime rings to California

Two Colombian nationals were arrested in California after automated license plate readers alerted authorities to a stolen Mercedes-Benz linked to a violent carjacking days earlier. The bust revealed connections to multiple crimes across state lines.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 had been reported stolen during a violent carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon in Hawthorne, California, on July 11, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials.

Days later, deputies received an alert from an automated license plate reader showing that the car was traveling through Rolling Hills Estates. As deputies searched for the vehicle, they learned it had also been linked to a residential burglary that had recently occurred in Torrance.

Deputies found the Mercedes and conducted a traffic stop near Palos Verdes Drive North and Rolling Vista Drive. That’s when things got interesting.

As the vehicle came to a stop, a passenger jumped out and ran, prompting deputies to establish a perimeter. But California law enforcement wasn’t having it.

The driver, Yareht Pedraza, 26, of Bogotá, Colombia, was taken into custody at the scene without incident.

“With deputies securing the perimeter and an LASD airship overhead, the search quickly shifted from the streets to the skies. Within a short time, the passenger was located and taken into custody,” the sheriff’s department said.

The passenger, Alan Pena Sabogn, 21, also of Bogotá, was later apprehended and arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, obstructing a peace officer and providing false identification.

Here’s the kicker: Officials said Sabogn also had an outstanding felony no-bail burglary warrant from Colorado. This wasn’t their first rodeo.

“This arrest is another example of how technology, proactive policing, and teamwork between deputies, dispatchers, and Air Support help quickly identify suspects and remove them from our communities,” the sheriff’s department said.

Technology and good policing caught these criminals — but the real question is how they got here in the first place and why they felt comfortable operating across multiple states.

Wyatt Matters

When hardworking Americans see foreign nationals running multi-state crime operations on our soil, they know the border crisis isn’t just about numbers — it’s about safety in their own neighborhoods. Our law enforcement does heroic work catching criminals, but sanctuary policies and weak borders keep the revolving door spinning. Families in places like Hawthorne and Torrance deserve leaders who’ll secure the border first and ask questions later.