Chilean woman arrested in attempted home invasion in Novi; The police are looking for three other suspects

NOVI, MI (CBS DETROIT) – Novi police have arrested a Chilean in connection with a series of home burglaries targeting luxury homes in Oakland County.

Vania Herrera Valdes, 21, is charged with second-degree home invasion and resisting and obstructing police. Officials say Valdes is in the country illegally and has a criminal history in the US

According to police, a Novi homeowner called 911 on Dec. 2 around 7:19 p.m. after spotting multiple suspects on surveillance cameras trying to break into his home on Equestrian Trail. Officers patrolling that area observed a white van with out-of-state license plates leaving the scene.

Police tried to pull the van over, but the driver drove away. After a short chase, the van stopped and four suspects ran from the vehicle. Officers were able to arrest one of the suspects, later identified as Valdes.

“They entered the house and stole some valuables and watches, and they also tried to steal a safe. We recovered the safe, but we were not able to recover the watches,” said Novi Police Chief Jason Meier.

Police say Valdes gave them a false name, but with the help of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, they were able to identify her.

Valdes was arraigned and posted a $100,000 bond. She remains in custody at the Oakland County Jail.

Police are still looking for the other three suspects.

“This is a great example of how our police and citizens are working together to combat these criminal elements that continue to operate in the United States,” Novi Police Chief Erick Zinser said in a news release. “We will continue to investigate this crime in collaboration with our county, state and federal partners. We continue to ask our community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your area.”

In November, Novi police said they were investigating four separate home invasions which took place between October 31 and November 15. The burglaries targeted homes with wooded areas and fields directly behind them. Police believe Monday’s most recent burglary may be related to those home burglaries.

Based on the methods used and items stolen in other home burglaries in Oakland County and surrounding Metro Detroit communities over the past year, Novi police also believe they have ties to South American transnational gangs that were at the center of these burglaries.

Nearly a year ago, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard created a task force to take down these gangs.

“When one gets hit, we all start talking. Was there any information? Was there a description? Was there a car described or seen in the area? And we start looking for it. We flood the neighborhoods,” said he. Bouchard.

The invasions have put homeowners like Su Hacosty on edge.

“We’ve put in extra cameras, extra lighting, we’re leaving the lights on in the backyard, which we’d never really done before. It seems like they’re watching very closely; they come in and they go out very quickly, and By the time the police come, they’re gone,” Hocosty said.

Anyone with information about this latest attempted home invasion is asked to call Novi police at 248-348-7100.

“We continue to increase patrols in the area, looking for suspicious vehicles and suspicious people, and we encourage our residents to be vigilant as well,” Meier said.