Upscale Granite Bay, Sacramento neighborhoods targeted in string of burglaries
GRANITE BAY — Authorities are investigating a string of home burglaries that all happened on the same day in upscale neighborhoods in Granite Bay and Sacramento.
The homeowners believe that each of the instances was conducted by the same group. Two of the burglaries were successful, and another was a possible attempt all within just hours of each other.
"It is upsetting. It is frustrating because you think you're safe inside your house and then this happens," said the homeowner who was burglarized in Granite Bay.
On July 1 at around 1:10 p.m., a man in a blue hat and grey sweat suit was caught on security camera scoping out a woman's upscale Granite Bay home. No one who lived there was inside the house when it happened.
"They broke the glass on the master. They spent about 20 minutes in the master," said the homeowner.
It also appeared he had at least two other men also in hats and backpacks who were in on the burglary.
"They stole all my jewelry, all my purses, designer purses all the sunglasses, some money," said the homeowner.
About an hour or so before, what appears to be the same man was caught on camera standing on the porch of another Granite Bay home about a half mile away.
"There was someone there in that house, they left," said the homeowner. "Then I think they came to my house."
Fast forward to 2:45 p.m., the same suspect was at the door of a wealthy Sacramento County home. CBS13 spoke with the couple who now feel unsafe in their own home.
"It was a bit scary because I could see the entire place had been trashed," said the husband.
The husband got home in the middle of the burglary, but not in time to stop them from breaking into safes and taking off with thousands of dollars worth of family heirlooms.
"There's a lot of anger. There's a lot of grief," said the wife.
The targeted burglaries mirror what is happening to upscale neighborhoods across the state.
Authorities have confirmed that Chilean gang members coming to the U.S. on tourist visas have been responsible for multiple burglaries in the San Diego area.
One Southern California police chief told CBS News that the gangs are trained to come to the master bedroom and they are looking for jewelry, high-end purses, clothing, anything that they are going to be able to fence.
The group is known to authorities as the South American Theft Group. In Southern California, they have been linked to burglaries and other crimes in Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar and Chula Vista.
So, could the same gang now be here? The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said it is too soon in the investigation to know, but what happened appears to all be linked.
"It is a little scary that even with security measures that these people are willing to take their risks and take whatever they want. Whether it's right or not," said one of the homeowners who was burglarized.
The homeowners think their valuables are long gone but hope they can catch the suspects and prevent this from happening to anyone else.
Both the Sacramento and Placer County Sheriff's Offices are working together to gather more evidence. If you recognize the suspects, call the sheriff's offices.