Sheriff: Man linked to organized crime group charged in Union County home break-in

UNION COUNTY, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) – A man linked to a South American organized crime group targeting and breaking into high-value homes has been charged, according to the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Giovanni Bejarano, 23, has been arrested and charged with first-degree burglary, larceny, and fleeing to elude arrest.

The sheriff’s office tells Queen City News earlier this week they responded to a daytime break-in in the Highgate subdivision in Weddington. Deputies said Bejarano and two other men forced entry into a home but fled as soon as they realized someone was inside.

Bejarano was taken into custody after he and his co-conspirators fled the crime scene in a vehicle, and then ditched the vehicle and tried to run away.

Detectives in Union County have linked Bejarano and this incident to a larger group of South American nationals who are actively targeting high-value homes across the United States.

“This organized crime group has been responsible for a growing number of break-ins in cities nationwide. Sadly, our own Union County area has not been immune to this group’s criminal activities,” the sheriff’s office said on Friday.

Over the past two years, detectives have investigated approximately 10-15 similar incidents in the Weddington and Marvin areas. While these cases are fewer here than in larger cities, “the impact on the homeowners affected is significant,” the sheriff’s office said.

Bejarano remains in custody with a secured bond of $40,000 and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.

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