By George P. Hassett

Police arrested two Somerville men and a Wilmington man Thursday in connection with a series of car break-ins where GPS navigation systems were stolen.

Kevin Banos, 28 and his brother Jeffrey Banos, 26, both of Somerville and Christopher Aurilio, 24, of Wilmington, were arrested and charged with seven counts of receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit larceny last night.  All three were scheduled to appear in Somerville District Court this morning.

Somerville police have been investigating a series of car break-ins that have occurred in Somerville and surrounding communities in the past week. Detectives began investigating the actions of Kevin Banos as part of the operation. Police said Banos was observed acting suspiciously in shopping mall parking lots in recent days.

The Banos brothers were allegedly monitored by police Thursday night as they met with Aurilio  at the Market Basket parking lot at 400 Somerville Ave. In the lot, Aurilio allegedly received a bag from the Banos brothers.

Shortly after leaving the parking lot, Aurilio was stopped by police for a motor vehicle infraction and the bag he received from the Banos’ was discovered to have seven GPS navigaion systems believed to be stolen, police said.

Aurilio was immediately arrested. Kevin and Jeffrey Banos were arrested at their home a short time later.

Capt. Paul Upton said Somerville and surrounding cities are experiencing an extraordinary number of car break-ins.

"Crme is down but this one category is killing us," he said.

The items driving the larcenies are mainly GPS devices, satellite radios and ipods, he said.

"People who leave these things in plain view are fueling break-ins. We’re trying to get people to secure them in the trunks of their cars because it is so simple to break into a car," he said.

The arrests were made by Detectives John Oliveira, mario Oliveira, Ernest Nadile and Michael Kiely.