HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico County is the latest area to report having victims of an international "theft ring" that's been active recently around metro-Richmond.
Goochland, Chesterfield, and now, Henrico have reported a series of burglaries that may be tied to what investigators are calling a South American Theft Group (SATG).
According to Henrico Police, several break-ins, including one over the weekend, may be tied to the group.
The most recent, police said, happened in the 8200 block of West Broad Street and targeted a business.
The business manager, who requested we not name the store for fear of retaliation, said thieves broke into the store either late Friday night or early Saturday morning and stole several vehicles.
The suspects damaged one vehicle and fled the scene with three others.
The manager said two of the cars were later located in Norfolk.
Law enforcement in neighboring localities said SATG usually targets wealthier neighborhoods, planning break-ins when residents are away.
They are said to steal smaller items like money, purses, or jewelry.
A recent string of burglaries, potentially tied to the group, were reported in Chesterfield over the last few weeks.
"This is a well-organized group," Lt. Russ Granderson, with Chesterfield Police, said in an April 13 interview. "They have the same M-O, the suspects, in many of the cases."
Now, more law enforcement agencies are sending out a message urging residents to protect themselves from becoming a target.
Hanover County Sheriff's Office put out a release on Facebook on Friday, April 14 saying:
"Recently, residential burglaries appear to be on the rise throughout our region. It is believed these burglaries are being carried out by groups from outside our area. At this time, HCSO has not confirmed these groups have targeted our community. However, we would like to remind our citizens to remain vigilant and safe with these best practices."
The post then goes on to list several tips, including locking away expensive lawn equipment, keeping doors and windows locked, leaving a light on when away, and installing a home alarm system.
Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Jason Miyares, said in a statement: "The Attorney General is paying close attention to this situation, as his number one priority is keeping our communities safe."
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
