Chilean woman arrested in attempted Novi home invasion; police searching for 3 other suspects
NOVI, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Novi police arrested a Chilean national in connection to a series of home invasions targeting high-end homes throughout Oakland County.
Vania Herrera Valdes, 21, is charged with second-degree home invasion and resisting and obstructing police. Officials say Valdes is in the country illegally and has a criminal history in the U.S.
According to police, a Novi homeowner called 911 at about 7:19 p.m. on Dec. 2 after seeing multiple suspects on surveillance cameras attempting to break into his home on Equestrian Trail. Officers patrolling that area observed a white van with out-of-state plates leaving the scene.
Police attempted to pull the van over, but the driver drove off. After a short pursuit, the van stopped, and four suspects ran from the vehicle. Officers were able to arrest one of the suspects, later identified as Valdes.
"They did enter the home and steal some valuables, some watches and they attempted to steal a safe as well. We recovered the safe, but the watches we were unable to recover," said Novi Police Commander Jason Meier.
Police say Valdes provided them with a fake name, but they were able to identify her with help from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Valdes was arraigned and issued a $100,000 bond. She remains in custody in the Oakland County Jail.
Police are still searching for the other three suspects.
"This is a great example of our police and citizens working together to combat these criminal elements that continue to operate throughout the United States," said Novi Police Chief Erick Zinser in a news release. "We will continue to investigate this crime working with our County, State and Federal partners. We continue to ask our community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your neighborhoods."
In November, Novi police said they were investigating four separate home invasions that took place between Oct. 31 and Nov. 15. Those break-ins targeted homes with wooded areas and fields directly behind them. Police believe Monday's most recent break-in could be connected to those home invasions.
Based on the methods used and items stolen in other home invasions in Oakland County and surrounding Metro Detroit communities over the last year, Novi police also believe they are connected to South American transnational gangs who have been at the center of these break-ins.
Nearly one year ago, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard created a task force to take down these gangs.
"When one gets hit, we all begin to talk. Was there any information? Was there any description? Was there any car that was described or seen in the area? And we start to look for it. We flood the neighborhoods," said Bouchard.
The invasions have left homeowners like Su Hacosty on edge.
"We put in extra cameras, extra lighting, we leave lights on in the backyard now that we never really had before. It just seems like they are watching very carefully; they come in, and they get out very quickly, and by the time the police come, they're gone," Hocosty said.
Anyone with information on this latest attempted home invasion is asked to call Novi police at 248-348-7100.
"We're going to continue to provide increased patrols in the area, looking for suspicious vehicles, suspicious people and we encourage our residents to be vigilant too," said Meier.
