251117-1910z

MS2 Intelligence Brief: Organized South American Theft Groups Operating in Wisconsin (and Beyond)

Date: 251117-1910z

MagCon Level: (4) Heightened Blue

Executive Summary

Law enforcement in southeastern Wisconsin (Mequon, Waukesha County, Brookfield, Elkhorn, etc.) and other U.S. states are investigating highly organized burglary rings composed primarily of South American (predominantly Chilean and Colombian) nationals. These groups conduct sophisticated residential and commercial burglaries targeting affluent homes (often near wooded areas/golf courses) and Asian business owners believed to keep large amounts of cash/jewelry at home. Similar tactics, timing, and target selection link these incidents to a broader national trend, with confirmed activity in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, and elsewhere.

Key Trends & Modus Operandi

• Primary Targets
  • Affluent residences in cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets backing onto woods/golf courses.
  • Homes of professional athletes (e.g., NBA players).
  • Asian (especially Chinese) business owners/restaurateurs suspected of keeping cash and valuables at home.
• Timing
  • Almost exclusively Thursday–Sunday evenings when residences are unoccupied (weekends, sporting events, holidays).
• Entry & Execution
  • Rear-yard entry via wooded areas; suspects wear masks, gloves, hoodies, and carry backpacks.
  • Use of trail cameras by suspects to monitor resident routines.
  • Professional tools (jammers, reciprocating saws to cut safes, glass-breakers).
  • Quick in-and-out (5–15 minutes); focus on jewelry, luxury watches, designer handbags, cash (especially foreign currency).
• Deterrents (Confirmed Effective)
  • Audible alarms, exterior motion lights, and visible interior/exterior cameras have caused suspects to abort missions.
• Identity & Travel
  • Frequently use stolen Puerto Rican identities/documents.
  • Operate in 3–5 person cells that rotate through states; cells appear coordinated by larger criminal organizations.
  • Travel in rental or stolen vehicles, often ditched after close calls.

Notable Wisconsin Incidents (2024–2025)

National Connections

• Southern Florida: Arrests of similar South American cells conducting identical high-end residential burglaries.
• Ohio & Illinois: Parallel targeting of Asian business owners.
• Professional athletes’ homes in multiple states hit with same MO.
• FBI and regional task forces describe these as “transnational theft groups” with possible ties to Chilean organized crime.

Law Enforcement Statements

• Mequon PD Capt. John Hoell (Nov 2025): “They’re from South America… This is a very well put-together group of people. They come with tools. They do everything the same way every single time.”
• Georgia authorities: Explicitly label the network the “South American Theft Group.”
• Regional LE meetings (Nov 12, 2025) involving Mequon, Waukesha, Washington County, and others to share intelligence and coordinate arrests.

Recommended Citizen Countermeasures (per Wisconsin LE)

1. Always arm audible alarms, even for short absences.
2. Install visible exterior cameras and motion lighting.
3. Use interior cameras that record when alarm is triggered.
4. Secure or remove jewelry, cash, and handbags from master bedrooms on weekends.
5. Consider trail cameras in wooded rear areas.
6. Report suspicious vehicles or persons loitering near wooded boundaries.

Analyst Commentary

These theft groups appear to be primarily financially motivated, not ideological, but their methods increase the risk of dangerous encounters (vehicle pursuits, surprise confrontations with armed homeowners, and collateral harm during arrests).

The Wisconsin pattern fits a larger national trend: small South American burglary cells rotating through suburbs with similar demographics and terrain (affluent cul-de-sacs, wooded lot lines, golf-course communities). Similar communities in neighboring states should assume they are potential next targets, even without local cases yet.

The focused targeting of Asian business owners and affluent households reflects perceived cash and jewelry concentrations, not ideology, but it does expose specific communities to repeat victimization and potential trauma. That makes timely, low-drama outreach from local law enforcement and trusted community leaders important.

Evidence from Wisconsin and Florida suggests these crews are rational adversaries who weigh “work factor” and risk: visible cameras, alarms, and motion lighting have caused multiple attempted burglaries to be aborted. Community-level hardening, even at the basic residential security level, likely pushes these groups toward softer areas.

Regional coordination meetings shared “target list” intelligence, and federal involvement will be key to disrupting the broader transnational networks rather than simply arresting individual crews. Until that happens, risk in southeastern Wisconsin and similar suburbs is likely to remain elevated into early 2026.

Descriptions of offender origins and victim demographics in this brief mirror official law-enforcement reporting and open-source coverage. Citizens and amateur operators should focus on behaviors, tactics, and patterns (vehicles, terrain use, timing) rather than appearance or ethnicity when reporting suspicious activity.

Primary Sources

1. WISN 12 (ABC) – Nov 14, 2025 https://www.wisn.com/article/mequon-police-south-american-crime-group-behind-burglaries/69442718
2. The New York Times – “While Asian Immigrants Work, Burglars Target Their Homes”November 14, 2025National overview of Colombian-led rings targeting Asian households; explicitly lists Wisconsin among hotspots (e.g., Waukesha-style cases); notes millions in losses and vulnerability of business owners. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/world/asia/asian-immigrants-burglaries.html
3. Hoodline – “Mequon Police Advise Heightened Security as South American Crime Group Linked to Area Burglaries “November 17, 2025Latest update on Mequon/Waukesha coordination; stresses transient nature of suspects and role of trail cameras in deterrence; calls for federal involvement.https://hoodline.com/2025/11/mequon-police-advise-heightened-security-as-south-american-crime-group-linked-to-area-burglaries/