NOVI (WWJ) — A woman who is in the country illegally has been arrested for her alleged involvement in a home invasion in Novi.
Vania Herrera Valdes, a Chilean national, was arraigned earlier this week on charges of second-degree home invasion and resisting and obstructing police. The Novi Police Department says she has a criminal record in the U.S., but no further details were released.
Her bond was set at $100,000 and she remains in custody at the Oakland County Jail.
The 21-year-old woman’s arrest on Dec. 2 came about two weeks after Novi police officials announced they believed South American gangs were behind a string of recent break-ins at four high-end homes.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Monday night, a Novi homeowner who was out of town got an alert on his phone from his security camera and saw multiple suspects trying to break into his home on Equestrian Trail.
Police officials say the homeowner quickly called police because the department had been warning residents to be extra alert following recent burglaries in Novi and other Oakland County communities.
Officers who were already on patrol in the area due to the other recent break-ins spotted a “suspicious” white van with out-of-state plates leaving the scene.
An officer tried to pull the van over, but the driver fled. The van ultimately came to a stop in a different neighborhood and four suspects tried to run from the officer. While Herrera Valdes was arrested, the other three got away.
Police Commander Jason Meier told WWJ Newsradio 950’s Dan Jenkins multiple police agencies have been involved in the search for the other suspects, but they remain at-large.
Herrera Valdes allegedly gave Novi police a fake ID, but federal partners with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were able to identify her, Meier said.
In the fall of 2023 Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard began warning of groups of foreign thieves that had targeted upwards of 30-40 homes across the county. In October, Bouchard said a group with a “similar M.O.” had been targeting homes in Oakland Township again.
Officials have not said whether they believe Herrera Valdes and the other suspects are tied directly to the other break-ins in Novi or any of the others across Oakland County.
“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,” said Erick Zinser, Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police, per a press release. “We will continue to investigate this crime working with our County, State and Federal partners. We continue to ask our community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your neighborhoods.”
Novi police are continuing to investigate and will “continue to have a robust police presence in the areas affected.”
Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activity or vehicles in their neighborhood. Anyone who knows something about the break-in on Equestrian Drive is asked to call the Novi Police Department at 248-348-7100.