At least nine multi-million dollar homes in Arapahoe County have been targeted as part of a “unique” trend of burglaries spanning multiple states, local police said.
Eligible homes are high-end homes that are adjacent to open space such as greenbelts, trails, golf courses, or have heavy tree cover on the property. Law enforcement officials say the crime is called the “dinner robbery” because masked robbers break into homes between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. when homeowners are not home.
The so-called supper robbery stole nearly $1 million worth of items, including cash, jewelry and luxury handbags, according to Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and Cherry Hills Village investigators who discussed crime trends Thursday.
“In one case, they broke into my neighbor’s house just two weeks ago and took a safe out of the wall,” Tony Certella said.
Investigators said the robberies hit four homes in Cherry Hills Village, two in Littleton, one in Columbine Valley and two others in unincorporated Arapahoe County.
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
They said the suspects often show up in groups in stolen cars, drop off a short distance away, then walk back up and enter homes through the back door.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said Friday it is investigating a series of similar incidents.
Arapahoe County officials announced Thursday that 138 robberies have been reported in Scottsdale alone, and others are being investigated in Arizona. They said crimes following the same distinctive pattern have also been reported in California, Florida, New York, Delaware and Ohio.
Law enforcement officials say many of the suspects in the cases are from South America and are in the U.S. on visas. There is no known description of the suspect in the Arapahoe County cases, but officers shared several home surveillance images of a masked person allegedly involved in some of the cases.
“Everyone is nervous. We are very concerned,” Certerra said.
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
“What we’re trying to do is take a proactive approach to this,” said Sgt. Brett Cohn of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. “We want to educate the public. We want the public to know what this is going on so you guys understand what we’re dealing with and We want you to use our information to protect yourself and your neighbors.”
In a news release Thursday, law enforcement offered several tips to homeowners.
When you leave the house, lock all doors, close windows, and set an alarm. To make your home look occupied and less likely to be broken into, leave the lights on or use an automatic timer. Install motion sensor lights outdoors to illuminate dark areas. Consider purchasing the exterior. And an indoor camera. Some cameras can notify police of a crime in progress. Consider installing shatterproof window glass to prevent criminals from breaking the glass. Be suspicious of people wandering around your house. If something looks suspicious, trust your instincts and call the police. Be aware of your neighbors by joining a neighborhood watch group.
Arapahoe multi-million dollar home targeted in ‘dinner robbery’: Full press conference
