Oakland County sheriff: Crime ring hitting high-end neighborhoods is growing

Criminals are hacking security systems in high-end thefts

"It’s doing nothing but growing. We’re seeing other wrinkles to it now, which are not good developments," said Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. "We think it’s a temporary reprieve at best."

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Groups of highly organized criminals continue to rob high-end neighborhoods in Oakland County and other areas in the United States.

So much so that Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard attended a national briefing with the Department of Homeland Security regarding the ongoing thefts.

"It’s doing nothing but growing. We’re seeing other wrinkles to it now, which are not good developments," Bouchard said. "We think it’s a temporary reprieve at best."

The sheriff’s department has arrested two burglary teams already since the spree started — hitting about 40 to 50 homes in the county over the past couple months

These are well-planned burglaries – mostly with people from other countries taking advantage of the visa waiver program.

"They come here under the (disguise) of being a tourist, and then commit a huge amount of crimes," Bouchard said.

And they’re relentless. In Glendale, California, police just busted four Columbians planning a heist. One of the suspect, Brian Martinez Vargas, had already been arrested for a previous burglary.

"You've see individuals who have been caught, and with the no bail provisions that they have in some of those communities, they get back out, they change their false identification and move on. But this guy didn’t even move on," Bouchard said.

Police have been recovering various equipment from the criminals – such as camouflaged cameras, Wi-Fi and signal jammers, and spy gear. They are shutting down security systems, especially if they’re wireless.

"If you have an alarm, use it. If you have an alarm system, make sure it’s updated. Make sure to the best of your ability that it’s hard-wired to prevent these jammers from being as effective as they have been," Bouchard said. "That’s right out of the M-O book that's happening here. That’s what we call a pre-op surveillance with the cameras – it could be trail cams, could be battery-operated cameras. Even seeing trackers placed on cars."

Bouchard added that awareness is how to protect your community. If you see something suspicious, give them a call.

On May 13, law enforcement provided concerned residents with tips on how to protect themselves from these robberies. Click here to read.