A man has been convicted for his part in the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry, and expensive handbags taken from homes in exclusive neighborhoods in Oakland, Wayne, and Kent counties.
Ignacio Antonio Ruiz-Saldias, 29, of Chile, was convicted of one count of operating a criminal enterprise and three counts of conspiracy to commit home invasion, second degree.
Recommended Videos
According to police, Ruiz-Saldias is the first defendant tried in Oakland County for belonging to a suspected South American theft group.
Police believe that the group targeted eight homes in neighborhoods in Oakland Township, Rochester Hills, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Pointe, and Ada Township in suburban Grand Rapids.
Officials said the thefts occurred from Feb. 3 to Feb. 17, 2023. Ruiz-Saldias and four other defendants were arrested in March 2023 in Carmel, Indiana.
Through cooperation between law enforcement in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, similarities in home invasions were discovered, and criminal cases were brought against the defendants.
Officials said three defendants were in custody in Ohio and awaiting extradition to Oakland County to face charges in Michigan.
Ruiz-Saldias will be sentenced by Circuit Judge Kwame Rowe on June 16.
--> High-end home thefts: Everything we know after Oakland County sheriff’s update
--> Organized thieves are targeting certain high-end homes in Oakland, Wayne counties
--> Highly skilled thieves prey on high net-worth homes in Oakland County