Oakland County Sheriff seeing increase in high-end home break-ins
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - There is a growing concern in Oakland County, as high-end homes are being targeted by thieves, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says.
"Obviously, this is a pattern. We also believe these are folks coming from outside of Michigan, so it's an organized, targeted effort," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
Bouchard said thieves are looking for high-ticket items.
"They're looking for high-end homes, specifically that are in the home that are jewelry and money," he said.
Although he did not provide exact numbers and additional information, Bouchard said he has reason to believe the thieves are part of an out-of-state organized crime syndicate that specifically targets high-end homes.
"We have all of our local agencies. We're all working together because it's not generic to one community. It's across any area in this region that has very high-end homes. That's what we're focused on at the moment," Bouchard said.
Bouchard is now urging residents to be vigilant and report anything suspicious.
"You can be a big help to us. You know who belongs in your neighborhood. You know which cars are typically in your neighborhood. If you see a car or someone walking through a backyard, you know better than us who belongs. Eyes and ears, see something, say something, really important," Bouchard said.