‘It’s alarming’: Braintree Police urging vigilance after arresting alleged burglary ring

Braintree Police are warning residents to remain vigilant after busting a burglary ring.

Officers say they’re glad they caught three suspects , but there could be more connected to this organized crime.

“It’s alarming, it’s definitely alarming when someone violates the sanctity of their home,” said Braintree Police Chief Tim Cohoon.

Chief Cohoon says an undercover operation in Braintree turned out successful after officers spent weeks in the Messina Woods Drive neighborhood to catch the burglars.

“We had to be kind of like what we refer to as a dinosaur, we had officers in cars in backseats, they couldn’t move when they spotted them the communications became very limited because we didn’t want to tip them off,” said Lt. Detective Brian Cohoon.

Police say it all started when the suspects broke into a home while the family was away.

Surveillance video shows the criminals going through the house for hours on June 20.

Then a neighbor spotted a hidden camera outside, pointed towards the victim’s house, camouflaged by the bushes.

That’s how police knew the burglars would be back.

“On July 11, detectives noticed some suspicious activity in the form of a man coming out of a backyard dressed as a landscaper, where there were no landscaping crews around,” said Chief Cohoon.

Authorities say they worked with the targeted family to stage a vacation.

They left their home with their bags packed and even drove to the airport.

“Got the family to go along with the ruse and take off for a few days,” said Deputy Chief Robert Joseph.

That’s when the criminals started to come back.

“They did counter surveillance trying to verify they were gone, they went to their places of business,” said Lt. Detective Cohoon.

But this time, when they tried breaking into the empty house, officers were there to arrest the three suspects, all from Colombia.

Police believe they’re connected to South American Theft Groups.

“We set a trap, they took the bait,” said Lt. Detective Cohoon.

Police say they’re thankful for the help from all the neighbors as well.

“It at least gives our residents some comfort in knowing that we’re going to try to do whatever we can to not allow this to happen in the future,” said Chief Cohoon.

Police say these suspects remain in custody and they could face federal immigration charges next.

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