MINNETONKA, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) – The burglary of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley’s west metro home made headlines, but new court documents reveal that Conley is just one of 60 victims in a sweeping burglary ring targeting high-end homes across 12 metro cities.
According to a search warrant affidavit, police believe the burglars used sophisticated methods, including cell phone and Wi-Fi jammers, GPS trackers, surveillance cameras, and rental vehicles. Authorities have linked the group to a larger, non-local network, with suspects arrested so far hailing from South America. These burglars are suspected of crisscrossing the U.S., conducting quick, highly organized heists, and leaving the state within hours.
Nadera, a resident in a neighborhood hit three times recently, expressed concern over the calculated nature of the break-ins. “It’s scary because it seems like they know exactly where to go,” she said. “They go straight to the bedroom, grab the jewelry, and leave. How do they know?”
The burglars’ methods have raised alarm across metro communities. Minnetonka Police Assistant Chief Jason Tait noted that their tactics are consistent across incidents. “They get in and out within minutes,” he said. Minnetonka alone saw three new break-ins last month, with one incident capturing the suspects on a doorbell camera.
Tait shared details of an earlier investigation that linked similar crimes to Argentine citizens arrested in Pennsylvania. “These suspects arrived in Los Angeles, rented a car, and then traveled through the Midwest, conducting burglaries across the country,” Tait explained.
A search warrant reveals that the burglar who targeted Conley’s home rented a car in Florida on September 11. The same car was tracked to Hudson on September 13, Long Lake on September 14 and 15, and back to Georgia just 17 hours after Conley’s home was hit.
In another case, an Orono homeowner grew suspicious of a man flying a drone near their property in a car with Texas plates. The car was later traced to the burglary of Twins owner Jim Pohlad’s Minneapolis home last year.
As the investigation continues, police are working to trace rental cars and piece together the burglars’ movements. The use of technology in these heists has made the group difficult to catch, leaving residents on edge as more details emerge about the scale of this operation.