5 men arrested in Troy home invasion are transnational gang members, prosecutor says

Five men arrested in Troy who fled after committing a home invasion were part of a transnational gang , authorities said.

Three of the men are citizens of Colombia, a fourth is from Mexico and the fifth is of unknown origin, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators tied the incident to recent break-ins of upscale houses by criminal gangs of foreign nationals that have put homeowners across metro Detroit on edge.

Each of the five is being held on a $1 million cash bond, county officials said. Police were alerted that intruders were inside the house by the owner, who was notified by his home security system that someone was inside. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald praised the homeowner as well as Troy police for the “quick action” that led to the alleged crooks’ capture.

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“Theft rings have become a major contributor to crime in our community, and I am committed to continued collaboration with law enforcement to keep these dangerous criminals off of the street,” McDonald said in a news release.

Following Saturday’s arrests in Troy, two key suspects were Owen Jean Cortes, 25, of Colombia, charged with second-degree home invasion and possession of burglars' tools, and Luis Felipe Camargo, 43, of Mexico, charged with second-degree home invasion and operating a vehicle with a suspended license. In addition, three were charged just with second-degree home invasion: Michel Leandro Alba Rincon, 39, of Colombia; Omar Giovanny Rodriguez Aponte, 48, also of Colombia, and Geovanny Enrique Castellanos Forero, 27, whose nation of origin was unclear.

Security camera tips off homeowner

The group’s agenda began unraveling at 12:45 p.m., when the owner of a house in Troy, while at work, got a notification from their home security system that someone was inside the home, according to a police news release. As the release stated, “The victim checked their security phone app and observed an individual in the living room. ... The homeowner was watching the intruder via a camera inside the home while they were at work. The suspect was described as a male wearing a dark shirt and a mask. The suspect turned the interior camera towards a wall,” causing the homeowner to lose sight of the intruder, but the homeowner quickly called 911.

Numerous officers converged on the area in the 3600 block of Milay, a street of houses valued at $400,000 to $450,000, according to online real estate listings. Officers quickly fanned out to track the suspects, who had split up, as a news release describes:

“Officers observed a suspect (Cortes) running west through the Pro Car Wash parking lot, away from the general direction of the home. A foot pursuit ensued as Cortes ran west across Rochester Road, jumping a cement wall behind 3635 Rochester Road,” formerly Sakura Asian Restaurant, now a Muslim mosque.“ Cortes was taken into custody in the area of Hidden Ridge Drive and Colebrook Avenue.

“Officers observed a second suspect (Alba), walking slowly southbound on the east sidewalk of Rochester Road, who appeared to be filming the foot pursuit with a cell phone. Alba was then observed walking into Noni’s Restaurant. Contact was made by officers and Alba was also taken into custody.

“Detectives observed a third suspect (Rodriguez) walking southbound on the west sidewalk of Rochester Road toward East Big Beaver Road. Surveillance of Rodriguez was maintained and he was observed getting into a silver Honda Odyssey with a Virginia license plate. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle where three additional suspects were taken into custody. Rodriguez as a passenger, Castellanos as a passenger and Franco as the driver.”

Latest in a wave of crime

All five defendants were being held Monday night in the Oakland County Jail. A probable cause conference for the five is scheduled on Aug.15 at 9:30 a.m. in Troy District Court.

Second-degree home invasion is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000. Possession of burglars' tools is a felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. Driving with a suspended license is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days jail and a fine of up to $500.

Previous break-ins of upscale houses in suburban Detroit resulted in thefts of jewelry, cash, safes and high-end purses, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The break-ins are being committed by gangs who originate “south of the border,” and they've struck nationwide but repeatedly in Oakland County, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard has said. At recent community meetings, Bouchard encouraged residents to upgrade their home security systems, bolt safes to floors, add outdoor lighting and protect against intruders who increasingly enter through second-story windows and doors, he said.

Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com .

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 men arrested in Troy home invasion are transnational gang members, prosecutor says