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A wave of high-end residential burglaries across southeastern Wisconsin has prompted a coordinated law enforcement response and drawn political attention at both the local and national levels.
The Mequon Police Department (MPD) says the burglaries share striking similarities, suggesting a professional operation.
The suspects, dressed head to toe in black, with faces covered and gloves on, have entered homes through wooded backyards, often targeting cul-de-sacs or properties near golf courses.
Stolen items include jewelry, designer handbags, watches and cash, all consistent with organized theft groups that target affluent neighborhoods nationwide.
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Police say professional burglars targeting affluent Mequon neighborhoods share similarities with South American theft groups that previously robbed professional athletes’ homes. (Mequon Police Department)
MPD hosted a regional intelligence-sharing meeting on Nov. 12, bringing together police agencies from across southeastern Wisconsin to share data and identify trends. Investigators are working with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the state crime lab to process evidence and cross-reference incidents across jurisdictions.
Officials said the burglaries show hallmarks of South American theft groups (SATGs) known to operate across the U.S., though no suspects have yet been identified.
Mequon Police Operations Commander John Hoell told Fox News Digital that investigators have observed consistent methods of entry and targeting across multiple cases.
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The Mequon Police Department leads regional intelligence-sharing efforts to combat a wave of high-end residential burglaries linked to organized crime groups. (Mequon Police Department)
“The way the residences were entered, the way the actors were dressed — head to toe in black, just the eyes showing, gloves on and what they targeted inside, jewelry, handbags, cash — it all matches together,” Hoell said.
Hoell described the pattern as unlike typical local burglaries, reinforcing the department’s view that the crimes may involve a well-coordinated group operating regionally or nationally.
He noted that the recent Mequon-area burglaries share similarities with the 2023 break-in at Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis’ home in River Hills.
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In that case, about $1,500 in items were stolen while the Bucks were playing, and the burglary was linked to a Chilean theft group later charged in connection with over $2 million in stolen property from high-profile athletes including Portis, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
Police say the suspects often enter through backyards during evening hours Thursday through Sunday, focusing on homes unoccupied at the time.
Authorities believe the burglars may be using trail cameras or other monitoring devices to watch when residents leave.
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Members of a Chilean crime gang are pictured breaking into an upscale Oakland County home in Michigan. (WJBK)
Audible alarms and surveillance systems have successfully deterred several attempts, police said.
Regional law enforcement agencies will continue to share intelligence and coordinate efforts to prevent further incidents.
The crimes have also sparked a political response amid Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race.
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U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R–7th District), who recently announced his campaign for governor, directly attributed the burglaries to federal immigration policy and a lack of enforcement under the Biden administration.
“This is what Democrats invited into our country under the last four years of Joe Biden, and not one Democrat running for governor will condemn it or demand these criminals be removed,” Tiffany said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“I have spent years on the House Judiciary Committee fighting for stronger border security, including ending catch-and-release, stopping parole abuse, and dismantling foreign criminal networks, and I’m grateful we finally have a President taking this crisis seriously and federal agencies working overtime to get criminals off our streets,” he said.
Tiffany added that if elected governor, he would ban sanctuary jurisdictions and increase resources for local law enforcement.
“I’m confident that local and federal law enforcement will move quickly to shut down this South American crime ring,” Tiffany said.
Law enforcement officials have not confirmed any link between the burglaries and immigration status, but note that South American theft groups often involve individuals who enter legally on short-term visas before committing coordinated crimes and leaving the country.
Police say the Mequon-area burglaries remain an active and evolving investigation.
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“We’re confident we’ll catch them,” Hoell said. “But it’s going to take time and help from everyone watching.”
Authorities emphasize that community awareness and quick reporting remain the most effective tools for preventing further incidents.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.