Prosecutors say a burglary ring targeted homes in 8 states using drones, GPS tracking

PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury has handed up an indictment alleging that a burglary ring employed drones and tracking devices to break into homes in eight states including Rhode Island.

The suspects, including a Connecticut man and two New Yorkers, allegedly identified where their targets lived and worked, surveilled them and burglarized their homes, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

The alleged victims, often of Asian descent, were not home when the suspects broke in, typically stealing large sums of money, credit cards, jewelry and other valuables, federal prosecutors said.

In one case in Jacksonville, Florida, prosecutors said the conspirators took $500,0000 worth of property.

Suspects reportedly targeted restaurants, nail salons

The suspects also allegedly targeted businesses, included Asian restaurants and nail salons, prosecutors said. The suspects used drones and GPS tracking devices to learn their targets' movements and know when their homes weren't occupied, as well as using the drones as lookouts.

Defendants accused of operating in eight states

The conspiracy targeted homes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Wisconsin and Florida, according to Cunha's office.

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case with assistance from state and local police agencies all over the nation, including Warwick police and Smithfield police, prosecutors say.

The indictment charges each of the four defendants with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.

Three of the four defendants are charged with attempting interstate transportation of stolen property.

Digital evidence is reshaping police work. How a new unit is cracking cases in Providence.

One of the defendants, a 29-year-old from Stamford, Connecticut, also faces a charge of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud.

Prosecutors have not identified any of the defendants as living in Rhode Island. They say they do not know the state where one of four defendants lives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julianne L. Klein are prosecuting the case.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Burglary ring used drones, GPS to track targets, feds say