A 21-year-old Chilean national has been charged in connection with a series of home invasions across Oakland County, targeting affluent neighborhoods. According to The Detroit News, Vania Herrera Valdes is facing second-degree home invasion charges, a potential 15-year felony, as well as resisting arrest, which carries up to a two-year felony sentence.
Police allege that on Monday, Valdes was part of a group attempting to break into a Novi residence when the homeowner, monitoring the situation via security cameras, alerted authorities at around 7:19 p.m. Novi officers responding to the scene spotted a white van with out-of-state plates departing from the vicinity of the reported break-in. CBS Detroit reported that the suspect vehicle failed to yield, leading to a brief chase and the eventual arrest of Herrera Valdes, while three additional suspects escaped capture.
Herrera Valdes initially provided false identification to the police but was correctly identified with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As noted by Novi Police Chief Erick Zinser in a statement detailed by FOX 2 Detroit, "This is a great example of our police and citizens working together to combat these criminal elements that continue to operate throughout the United States." Her bond has been set at $100,000, and Valdes remains in custody at the Oakland County Jail.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, the gangs' modus operandi includes using jammers to disrupt security systems while seeking out cash, luxury items, and jewelry. "We had some pretty good arrests and charges and took a number of teams off the street and out of commission," Bouchard said, per FOX 2 Detroit. Novi Police continue their search for the remaining suspects and urge anyone with information about the home invasion to contact them at 248-348-7100.
