Hillsborough, California – This quiet city has seen an increase in burglaries over the past four months, and according to CBS San Francisco, police say a specific group could be responsible.
Many of the sophisticated robbery teams come from South America for “criminal tourism” and target wealthy communities, according to a community alert sent out Sunday.
The home security video shows a suspect falling to the ground before looking around around midnight on March 11th.
A car that escaped is stopped while thieves carrying stolen objects load the vehicle. Police say the thieves also stole an SUV from the garage. Detectives announced Sunday that they had recovered the stolen car and prosecuted it as evidence.
Investigators say they believe the suspects in the case are responsible for additional thefts in Hillsborough and the entire region. Local authorities are working with other agencies, such as Southern California law enforcement and federal partners in the ongoing investigation.
Police believe South American burglary groups (SATGs) often enter the U.S. legally and rotate members out of the country in a matter of weeks. These criminal groups were first investigated in Hillsborough in 2018. Suspects often use luxury cars to easily integrate with their target communities, police said.
“I’ve been seeing more cops driving at night, people are more worried lately; because I’m very young and I’m driving a black van. I was recently stopped by a woman who was thought to be a thief – a thief – and asked me what “I’m doing it here,” said Hillsborough resident Matt Gouley.
Earlier this month, a surveillance video captured four people carrying a safe away from home in a dark-colored SUV. Police say the credit cards in the safe were later used in Modesto and Los Angeles County. Hillsborough police say previous investigations of this nature also took them to the same areas.
“I have a lot of friends who live in Hillsborough. We live in Burlingame, and they said they were worried about thieves coming in,” Joana Khatib told CBS San Francisco. “[It] It worries me a little bit because I feel very safe, but it reminds me that maybe we should close the doors and have a Ring camera. “
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- criminal tourism
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