OAKLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — This year alone, Oakland County has experienced several home invasion incidents. Sheriff Michael Bouchard believes it's the doing of transnational gangs targeting high-end homes.
The most recent incident happened on Friday at Orchard Ridge, which is a gated community.
"We've seen multiple gated communities attacked this way. They come in from the back. They like homes that back up to woods, or a park, or to water, or to a golf course, something that gives them a stealth approach," Bouchard said.
Security footage from the recent burglary shows at 7:35 p.m., the thieves all covered up entering the home. And in less than 10 minutes, they were away with the loot.
Bouchard says that in the past 12 months, the tri-county area has been hit hard, with over 40 incidents of home invasions recorded in Oakland County alone.
I asked Bouchard about the similarities they're seeing in the way the criminals are operating.
"They are clearly trained, and they adapt. So they are very much like a special ops team. Typically, we are seeing four to six would approach a house and in some of them most recent ones, we are seeing two approach. They typically have a backup car somewhere. They do pre-ops surveillance on the home. They also do electronic activity on the home, maybe jamming the alarm systems and communications," Bouchard said.
Jennifer Van-Zelst lives in Oakland Township with her daughter. That's why she has been keeping a close eye on such incidents in the area.
"I know that they target certain houses. My house happens to fit one of the profiles. Some gangs allegedly won't enter if you are at home or have a dog. I have heard that another gang will come in, so that's a concern for me," Van-Zelst said.
She said she's made changes to security at her home.
"I'm not using WiFi-connected security. I'm using wired security," Van-Zelst said.
Van-Zelst said leaving to go on vacation has been a concern of hers.
"To me, the pause in the invasions was probably due to the fact that it was just light late. But now with more hours of darkness earlier, I am concerned that it's going to start up again," she said.
See previous coverage of the break-ins in the video below:
Meanwhile, Bouchard says once the thieves enter the homes, they typically go for cash, jewelry, high-end purses and watches.
Bouchard has messages for the community and the criminals.
"Be vigilant, notice things and don't be afraid to call. If you have an alarm system, use it. If you haven't checked it or updated, do it if you can," Bouchard said. "Message for the criminal, we sent clearly. I think we dropped some of the heaviest charges in the country on two of the crews already. We created a task force in Southeast Michigan. We are partnering with our federal partners. If you come here, we are going to do everything to track you down and hold you accountable."
Law enforcement is still looking for the suspects. You are urged to contact the Oakland County Sheriff's Office if you have any information about this or other related incidents.
