Distraction burglars who caused 'havoc' statewide captured in Martin County, deputies say

Detectives say a group of men who posed as landscapers, contractors, utility workers, and more to prey on innocent victims around the state for years have been captured in Martin County.

ALLEGED CRIMINALS CAPTURED INMARTIN COUNTY AFTERINVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THEYLONG PLAGUED THE STATE WITHDISTRACTIONCRIMES.INVESTIGATORS SAY INONE CASE - THEY TARGETED ANELDERLY COUPLE- WHO CALLED 911IN TIME FOR DEPUTIES TO STOPTHE THIEVES AND RECOVER TROVESOF JEWELRY.

WPTV NEWSCHANNEL5'S MEGHAN MCROBERTS JUSTSPOKE WITH ONE OF THOSEVICTIMS.THIS IS SOME OF THE JEWELRY ANELDERLY MARTIN COUNTY WOMANAND HUSBAND THOUGHT THEYLIKELY NEVER SEE AGAIN&“MYJEWELRY IS OUR LIFE.

THINGSTHAT HENOW THEYEVIDENCE- RECOVERED AFTERBEING STOLEN FROM THEIR HOMETHIS WEEK- INVESTIGATORS SAYBY A FAMILY OF DISTRACTIONTHIEVES& WHO HAD BEEN ON THERUN FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND AHALF& UNTIL THIS WEEK&DEPUTIES ARRESTED TOM BIMBO-AND HIS TWO SONS, NIKKOTHOMPSON AND JOHN THOMPSON.THIS WOMAN- WHO DIDNBE IDENTIFIED- SAYS ONE OF THEMEN KNOCKED ON HER DOOR,CLAIMING TO BE SOMEONE WORKINGIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.“HE SAIDWE MESSED YOUR FENCE UP, YOURWOOD FENCE AND WE NEED TOREPAIR IT”“I SAID WELLALRIGHT, IBACK GATE” SHE SAYS HE SHOWEDHER WHERE HE WAS CLAIMING TONEED TO MAKE REPAIRS ANDDIDNSIDE.“THE YOUNG BOY SAYS OHNO YOUME” BUT- SHE SAYS ANOTHER MANWENT TO THE HOUSE&“THE OLDERMAN, HE HAD RANG THE DOORBELLAND BILL SAID COME IN” HERDISABLED HUSBAND ASSUMING HISWIFE ALREADY TALKED TO HIM.SHE THEN GOT SUSPICIOUS WHENTHE MAN LEFT OUT THE BACKDOOR.“I PULLED UP MY JEWELRYTHING AND THATTHEY TOOK MY JEWELRY”“WHENTHE HOMEOWNER IS DISTRACTED BYONE OF THE SUSPECTS, THEACCOMPLICE WILL COME INTO THEHOUSE, GO INTO A BEDROOM ANDJEWELRY.

THATTARGET, HIGH END JEWELRY” SHECALLED 911- PROMPTING THISTRAFFIC STOP& WHERE DEPUTIESRECOVERED A CAR FULL OFJEWELRY&“WE SUSPECT THIS CREWWITH MULTIPLE DISTRACTIONBURGLARIES IN MARTIN COUNTY”AND OTHER CASES STATEWIDE.NOW- DEPUTIES ARE WORKING TOSEE IF THERE ARE MOREACCOMPLICES TO THIS FAMILY&JEWELRY THAT DIDNTHE ELDERLY COUPLE WAS ALSOFOUND IN THEIR CAR.

LAWENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FROMOTHER PARTS OF SOUTH FLORIDAARE EXPECTED TO COME HERE TOLOOK AT IT AND SEE IF IT TIESTHESE MEN TO THEIR DISTRACTITHEFT CASES.

MM NC 5WEST PALM BEACH POLICE SAY THETODDLER INJURED IN A HIT ANDRUN REMAINS