Criminal gangs from Central and South America are taking advantage of lax US immigration laws to set up shop in cities across the country and rob hard-working citizens, a sheriff warned.
Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said criminal syndicates from “south of the border” have targeted luxury homes and stolen “hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars” worth of belongings, CBS Detroit reports.
“These are transnational gangs involved in this coming from South America, looking to commit robberies and violate our communities, not just in Oakland County but throughout the United States,” Bouchard said.
The sheriff said the thieves have been identified as citizens of Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says transnational gangs comprised of citizens from Central and South America are attacking luxury homes in Oakland County. CBS DetroitPolice say burglars search luxury homes for days until they find the best way in, including through second-story windows.CBS Detroit
The gangs allegedly crossed the border and purchased fake IDs to reside in the same cities they then hope to loot.
“These people are after jewelry, high-end purses and watches, money and safes,” Bouchard said, noting that gangs attack homes and search them for days to find the perfect moment to attack.
“They usually come to houses between 5 and 9 pm, they seem to want houses where no one is there and they usually enter through the back windows,” the sheriff added.
Bouchard ultimately warned wealthy homeowners to invest in security systems and add cameras to the entry points of their homes to protect their belongings.
The community has been warned to invest in security systems to protect themselves from gangs. CBS Detroit
While he declined to comment on which communities have been affected and whether or not any gang members have been arrested, the sheriff said his office has been working with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security on the cases.
He claimed a similar gang had attacked in New York, where officials also called on the federal government to act at the border following an influx of migrants settling in the Empire State.
On Sunday, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul stepped up her attacks on U.S. border policies, demanding “a limit on who can cross” and more agents to catch those who cross illegally.
Bouchard addressed the community directly on the issue, including in a Facebook video last week. Oakland County Sheriff’s Office
“It’s too open right now,” Hochul told CBS’ “Face the Nation” of the country’s southern border with Mexico, where a record number of more than 260,000 migrants crossed last month.
“Congress needs to put more controls on the border,” Hochul said. “Talking about eliminating positions for Border Patrol, well, we actually need to double or quadruple those numbers.”
The governor’s comments come as Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a senior adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, called on the federal government to “close the borders.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn