Two Fort Myers men have been arrested and charged in connection to a string of residential burglaries in Sarasota County, authorities said.
The investigation began on Feb. 10 after a condominium in the 1300 block of Siesta Bayside Driver in Sarasota was burglarized. The victims told investigators the front door had been forced open and several kitchen knives, a driver's license and passport were stolen.
Then two homes in Nokomis was hit on Feb. 16, one in the 200 block of Bayshore Road and the other in the 1100 block of Jessie Harbor Drive. In each case, forensic technicians identified pry marks, where the suspects had forced their way through the front door, ransacked the houses and took cash, jewelry and electronics.
On Thursday, the Punta Gorda Police Department was investigating a series of burglaries. Punta Gorda police officers took 31-year-old Alvaro Jose Delgado-Uzcategui and 35-year-old Effrain Adonay Carillo-Ruiz into custody as possible suspects.
When they were arrested, officers found a bag of burglary tools in their car.
Under a search of the suspects' houses, cash, jewelry and the sneakers worn by Delgado-Uzcategui during the burglaries were recovered.
Detectives arrested Delgado-Uzcategui on three counts of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and Carillo-Ruiz was charged with one count of burglary and two counts of principal to burglary.
Both men are being held in the Charlotte County Jail.
No information was released on when they would be transferred to Sarasota County.
