In December 2024, a Cascade Township home was burglarized while the homeowners were at work. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office later determined that the crime was part of a broader, more coordinated effort tied to a multi-state burglary ring commonly referred to as a “South American Theft Group.”
Coordinating with federal partners, the group was connected to at least 19 additional burglaries nationwide, with losses in excess of $1.6 million. Many of the targeted victims were Asian or Middle Eastern immigrant business owners.
Ten suspects were taken into custody in Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and California. Many defendants have pled guilty in federal court to charges related to the interstate transportation of stolen property. In December 2025, two defendants were sentenced to federal prison terms and ordered to pay restitution.
The case remains one of the largest multi-state burglary investigations connected to Kent County in recent years.
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