Oakland County Sheriff warns of international "tourist burglars" targeting Metro Detroit
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Oakland County is dealing with a growing threat of burglary tourism, according to Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
In a town hall meeting on Monday, Bouchard said they are concerned with transnational organized crime groups. Groups of people from other countries enter the U.S. under the guise of tourism and then steal from wealthy homes.
Bouchard said the groups operate like special operations teams, hitting 40 to 50 homes in Oakland County over the past months, at one point, pulling up to $1 million out of the county.
The sheriff said so far, they have arrested two robbery teams, and all seven people were from Chile.
"Just the Chilean gangs are estimated to have more than 100 teams operating in the country at any given time. And the teams are three to six people."
He said all the people they arrested had violated the Visa Waiver Program, which is a program that allows people from certain countries to come to the U.S. for 90 days for tourism or business without obtaining a visa.
Bouchard said he has asked the federal government to pause the program in Chile, but it has not been paused.
"And in fact, Columbia has an application pending now for the VWP. So that's a concern for us because we can't get a handle on how many teams are operating here," he said.
To better protect your home, the sheriff said to use alarms on every floor of your home.
"Hardwire, hardwire, hardwire," he said. "Cause you'll see, jammers, they jam wireless signals."
He said the burglars can jam wireless signals from cameras, alarms, and phones. They are also stealing heavy safes. So Bouchard suggests bolting down safes or using a safety deposit box for things you don't need every day or are family heirlooms.
He said the Chilean gangs have not been violent or aggressive. Saying they are contact averse, and flee if people are in the home they are targeting. That's why people out of town are the biggest targets.
Consider saving the number of your local police department on your phone. That way, if you are alerted to a home break-in when you are out of town, you can reach the police without having to go through 911 in the area you're visiting.