Show-Me State Times

Three Florida men have confessed to stealing jewelry and other valuables from homes in St. Louis County, Missouri. The stolen items are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and include incidents in Ladue and Chesterfield.

Benjamin Andres Ovalle-Taibo, 33, and Jonathan Vejar-Caro, 33, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Ovalle-Taibo admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit the transportation of stolen goods, while Vejar-Caro admitted to one count of transportation of stolen goods.

Henry Jose Ferreira-Perez, now 21, had previously pleaded guilty to a count of transportation of stolen goods in December and received a sentence of 14 months in prison.

The three men traveled on June 9, 2023, to St. Louis County where they scouted potential burglary targets and acquired tools for home break-ins. That evening, Ovalle-Taibo and Vejar-Caro stole luxury items worth over $330,000 from a residence in Ladue. The loot included jewelry, handbags, and watches. They then drove to Illinois and stayed at an Airbnb before returning to Florida with the intention of selling the stolen goods.

On June 16, 2023, Ovalle-Taibo and Vejar-Caro burglarized another home in unincorporated St. Louis County. This incident was investigated by the Frontenac Police Department after they stole approximately $128,000 worth of items mainly consisting of jewelry. The following day saw them targeting two homes in Chesterfield; they stole about $188,500 worth from one home and $44,000 from another.

Ovalle-Taibo and Vejar-Caro are set for sentencing in October. All three men are residing illegally in the United States and face likely deportation upon release from prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI along with police departments from Ladue, Frontenac, and Chesterfield. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll is leading the prosecution.