Police scene Credit: Geralt / Pixabay.com
Abington Township police, working with Montgomery County detectives, say they have helped break up a sophisticated burglary operation that targeted families in the Philadelphia suburbs and beyond, according to a report.
Investigators discovered that members of the group surveilled homes with hidden cameras and even placed tracking devices on cars to monitor victims’ movements. Police say suspects sometimes disguised themselves as delivery drivers or other everyday workers to avoid suspicion.
Court documents show the thieves relied on real estate records to single out Asian homeowners and business owners. Authorities said the group would send teams of five into neighborhoods to scope out potential targets, with some posing as Amazon employees. Trail cameras and hidden cell phones were used to watch victims, sometimes while children were home.
Officials believe the group, which they say was largely made up of Colombian nationals in the country illegally, struck dozens of homes and businesses across Montgomery County, the greater Philadelphia region, New Jersey, and the Poconos. Investigators suspect the network may have been operating nationwide. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted in the arrests.
So far, more than a dozen suspects have been taken into custody, though police believe additional members remain at large. Authorities urge residents to remain alert and report anything unusual in their neighborhoods.
