MEQUON, Wis. — Lynne Langlois was shocked at the destruction when she saw video footage of her Mequon home burglarized after thieves broke in while she was out of town.
"I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe the destruction and how rapidly they had done this," Langlois said.
Langlois is one of many Mequon residents who have had their homes burglarized in recent months. Her home was the latest in a string of burglaries that Mequon Police say are being committed by a South American crime ring.
"I couldn't believe that it had happened to us, I mean, Mequon is so safe," Langlois said.
The safe community has turned into a target for criminals.
On Friday night, Langlois received an alert on her phone from her alarm app indicating broken glass. She was out of town and checked her cameras, but didn't see anything suspicious.
"I turned the alarm off and then reset it, thinking that if there was anyone in the house that it would reactivate the alarm, and that never happened," Langlois explained.
On Monday, Langlois received a video and phone call from her landscaper saying her home had been broken into.
Langlois' home is the latest in a string of about a dozen burglaries in Mequon alone, according to police. The burglaries are being committed by a South American crime gang that was recently connected to and arrested for similar crimes in Florida.
Watch: Mequon burglary victim recalls shocking moments of home break-in by alleged South American criminals
"Frightening because I think that they're not just adolescent children," Langlois said. "These people are professionals. They're quick, and they will go through your house in minutes."
The FBI said field offices across the country are investigating break-ins tied to South American Theft Groups, or SAGTs.
The FBI and Mequon Police said the group is targeting expensive homes with surroundings like golf courses, parks or wooded areas, and go through back windows or glass doors.
All burglaries are reported to have happened between Thursday and Sunday during the evening hours, with the thieves taking jewelry, watches, designer purses and cash.
Mequon PD confirmed there is a local task force with 10 different agencies that are also investigating similar burglaries. Waukesha and Washington Counties are two of the agencies involved.
Langlois is still working to figure out what exactly was stolen, but said she plans to upgrade her home security in the meantime.
"Everybody needs to be more aware that this is going on," Langlois said. "I want the community to be safe and to just be aware and don't do what I did, and think they're false alarms because it's always been that way in the past. You need to learn from your experience."
The Mequon Police investigation is ongoing.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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