The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department is warning homeowners throughout the county about a rash of recent burglaries. The burglaries are occurring in upscale homes and are being carried out by transnational migrant gangs.
These gangs start in South America and send members through migrant channels into the United States. Once in the United States, the migrant gang members moved to sanctuary cities like Detroit. On arrival, they meld with gang members already in the area and begin working with those gangs.
Due to the issues with tracking migrants entering unlawfully through the southern borders, keeping tabs on these gang members is difficult. The difficulty increases when the information police have is limited to a name that may or may not be the correct name of the suspect.
The new wave of migrant gang-related burglaries in Detroit focuses on upscale homes and items. Law enforcement says the items are precious metals, high-end jewelry, and even safes.
Law enforcement believes the thieves are targeting based on the items and not on the communities. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard gave citizens some key points to look for and what may be signs of a possible targeted robbery.
Bouchard said the migrant gang members are spending time surveilling the properties. They may do drive-by surveillance or be watching from dimly lit or well-hidden areas in the neighborhood.
Bouchard also said most burglaries happen between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. when the homeowners may not be home. He did warn that the gang members are working together and are organized.
Citizens are being alerted to keep their security systems maintained and on throughout the day if possible. The citizens are also being warned to call the police if they see something suspicious or if their home is broken into.
Bouchard mentioned the migrant surge and the border crisis, stating, “Border security for everybody is critically important.” He also advised citizens that if they see something, say something.
