OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – Organized crews of thieves have been targeting high-end homes across Metro Detroit in recent weeks, breaking in and stealing items of value while avoiding security systems and, mostly, evading capture.
The string of burglaries are being carried out by trained thieves originating from Chile, according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. These Chilean crews are allegedly responsible for a significant number of thefts at homes, jewelry stores, and of cars in Michigan and beyond.
Following dozens of recent burglaries across Southeast Michigan, 31 local and federal law enforcement agencies are forming a task force aimed at tracking down the thieves.
Here’s everything we know so far.
Thieves targeting certain homes
The crews, which typically consist of three or four people per break-in, are targeting isolated, high-end homes throughout Metro Detroit -- but the homes aren’t only in exclusive and expensive neighborhoods. Sheriff Bouchard says any home that fits the thieves’ criteria can be targeted, even if the homes around it might not fit the bill.
Thieves are targeting expensive homes, especially million-dollar homes. The thieves are going after houses that have thick landscaping and/or back up to wooded areas, trees, shrubs, a golf course, trails, and the like. The thieves are using these areas to stake out the house, and wait for a time to strike, officials say.
So far, Sheriff Bouchard says the thieves hitting Metro Detroit homes appear to be nonconfrontational. If they hear someone, or something happens during a break-in, the thieves flee.
The thieves are entering the homes through glass doors and windows -- sometimes using ladders to enter second-floor windows. In a news conference held on Wednesday, Dec. 6, Bouchard shared surveillance videos showing the thieves breaking glass doors to enter homes.
While breaking into the homes, the thieves are using devices called jammers, which literally jam frequencies to prevent any information from getting in or out. These jammers block wireless alarm and security systems, glass break alarms, wireless internet service, and the like.
Though the thieves have been captured on surveillance cameras, they’ve been able to avoid alarm systems inside and outside of the homes by using jammers.
Once inside, the thieves are going after valuable items like jewelry, precious metals, electronics, purses, watches, and safes.
“... If there’s a safe that’s not attached or they can either break into it on scene or carry it, they’ll do that,” Bouchard previously said.
Dressed in all black, the thieves haul away the stolen items, and have largely evaded police so far.
Where the thieves are coming from
Authorities previously said that the thieves appear to be involved in an organized crime network that originates in South America. On Wednesday, Bouchard said the crews are all coming from the country of Chile.
According to Bouchard, the thieves are getting into the U.S. using one of two methods: Illegally entering at the country’s border, or through the Visa Waiver Program, which “enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa,” the U.S. government says.
Crews out of Chile are reportedly targeting homes, cars and businesses across the country, and continue to move around the country. Bouchard said the crews of thieves are “very much trained,” and continuously move on to new communities to avoid being found.
When asked where the crews might be living, Bouchard said it’s hard to say, since they move around so frequently. The crews will successfully hit a target, and then move on to another community, or even another state, Bouchard said.
The stolen items will get sent to fences, or someone who buys the stolen property in order to sell it, typically in the Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City areas, Bouchard said. Some items will get shipped back to Chile.
Similar crimes and burglaries across the U.S., that are believed to involve the same Chilean crews as in Metro Detroit, have reportedly included devices like trackers on cars, and trail cams to identify when homeowners are at home.
“This group is methodical,” Bouchard said.
Videos of thieves
Sheriff Bouchard shared some surveillance footage showing thieves at several homes in Oakland County. You can watch the footage below, which is narrated by Bouchard.
Note: Bouchard says the thieves are always wearing black, but appear to be wearing white due to night-vision cameras.
Has anyone been arrested yet?
So far, four Chilean residents have been arrested in Oakland County in connection with an Oakland County home burglary, Bouchard said Wednesday. Their identities have not yet been released, as they await formal charges. They are being housed in the Oakland County Jail.
Sheriff Bouchard said additional individuals, also from Chile, were arrested in a different state. Those individuals are tied to at least one break-in in Oakland County. More specific details were not provided Wednesday.
How long has this been happening?
That’s hard to say, and even Bouchard did not have an exact answer on Wednesday. He did say, however, that after learning the MO of these thieves, law enforcement have been looking back at other burglaries that have similar, or the same, components.
While looking back, police determined that it’s possible the same type of thieves have been targeting Metro Detroit homes for at least two years.
More recently, the string of thefts were first announced publicly when Bouchard sounded the alarm in September. It was then that huge homes in Bloomfield Township were targeted by the thieves. Then, homes on private driveways in Birmingham were targeted.
Officials estimate those losses to be worth millions of dollars.
There have been around 30-40 high-end burglaries in Oakland County since September, Bouchard said.
Similar break-ins have also been happening in other counties, including Wayne and Macomb. The Grosse Pointe area, for instance, has seen several burglaries in the past few weeks, as well.
New task force
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with 30 local, state and federal law enforcement partners to locate the thieves and help prevent future break-ins. Federal partners include the FBI, Border Patrol, Secret Service, and Department of Homeland Security.
Bouchard said because this is not a traditional investigation, the federal government’s involvement is required and invaluable.
“We need federal help,” Bouchard said. “If we catch one crew and two more are on the way, we’re trying to plug holes in a dam that’s breaking.”
The Oakland County sheriff made it clear, however, that the task force is not concerned about immigration. He said immigration is a policy that’s up to the federal government, and that this task force is primarily concerned with the individuals coming to this country specifically to commit crimes.
The following law enforcement agencies are part of the new task force, known as Southeast Michigan Collaborate Arrest Prosecute, or SEMCAP:
- Auburn Hills
- Berkley Police Department
- Birmingham Police Department
- Bloomfield Hills Police Department
- Bloomfield Township Police Department
- Canton Police Department
- Chesterfield Township Police Department
- Farmington Hills Police Department
- FBI
- Franklin Police Department
- Grosse Pointe Farms Police Department
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Keego Harbor Police Department
- Lake Angelus Police Department
- Lathrup Village Police Department
- Macomb County Sheriff’s Office
- Michigan State Police
- Northville Township Police Department
- Novi Police Department
- Oakland County Sheriff’s Office
- Oxford Village Police Department
- Rochester Police Department
- Shelby Township Police Department
- Southfield Police Department
- Sylvan Lake Police Department
- Troy Police Department
- U.S. Border Patrol
- U.S. Secret Service
- Walled Lake Police Department
- Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
- Waterford Township Police Department
- White Lake Township Police Department