11 Members of Colombian Theft Ring Arrested as Phones Stolen from New Orleans Mardi Gras Revelers are Found in Tickfaw, Louisiana

TICKFAW, La. (KPEL News) - Dozens of stolen cell phones are being returned to their owners after Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's deputies say members of a Colombian theft ring took them from Mardi Gras parade-goers celebrating in New Orleans.

11 people have been arrested as the phones were found at a short-term rental complex in Tickfaw, which is a village in Tangipahoa Parish.

So far, over 160 phones have been recovered. But, according to Chief Deputy Jimmy Travis in this Louisiana Radio Network article, the phones are missing one thing:

From talking to several of the victims, we think they just discarded the cases immediately after the theft.

The 11 members of the Colombian theft ring have been arrested and booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.

• 24-year-old Geinier Acevebo-Jimenez
• 26-year-old Jean Paul Sabogal-Angortia
• 31-year-old Bridgette Solorzano-Rodriguez
• 36-year-old Yudi Tatiana Solorzano Sanchez
• 30-year-old Kely Yojana Forero-Mendoza
• 24-year-old Paula Daniela Canaria-Villamil
• 33-year-old Paola Fernanda Consuegra-Gavlis
• 30-year-old Jhon Alexander Flores-Munoz
• 26-year-old Yuli Oney Gutierrez
• 31-year-old Ronald Steven Carvajal
• 47-year-old Jorge Jimenez

Travis says the suspects were able to transport the phones out of New Orleans by using a Faraday Bag, which has a mesh type covering over it that completely blocks signals and doesn't allow you to locate it through a Find My Phone app.

If you lost your phone in New Orleans, their are phone numbers of lost cell phones listed on the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office Facebook page. If your number shows up on the list, contact the sheriff's office. But, Travis says, do not call their office if your number is not on that list.