Foreign gangs appear to continue wreaking havoc in the country, with some suspected to be behind a series of thefts in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
Over the past few months, local and federal law enforcement agencies have been warning Americans about foreign gangs that are allegedly conducting “burglary trips” in suburban Detroit, Scottsdale and Los Angeles, targeting homes while the homeowners are away or approaching unsuspecting victims to steal their belongings.
“Instead of being paranoid or scared, be smart and keep your valuables close by.”
This second type of theft ring follows the same basic modus operandi. The thieves work in pairs or trios. One member targets the victim and distracts them by calling for help while an accomplice quickly steals the victim’s wallet. The thieves then use the victim’s cash or credit cards to purchase electronic devices or other expensive items that can be sold for a profit. All of this is done before the victim even realizes that they’ve been stolen.
“The victim believes the wallet will remain in their purse until they reach the dealership or return home.” Lieutenant Brian Cooper of the Farmington Police Department in Farmington, Utah.
“These suspects are often members of criminal organisations and travel for this purpose – they are sometimes referred to as ‘criminal tourists’,” Cooper added.
While many American cities are overrun with illegal immigrants, most of these gang members are actually in the US legally, exploiting a security loophole in the federal Visa Waiver Program, and they reportedly travel around the country in rented cars using fake IDs.
Some of these gangs are from China, but most are from Chile and other South American countries. “The common thread is that they are organized crime groups, they’re here temporarily, and we [recent] “So far, they are foreign nationals, but they have the closest ties to South American theft groups,” Cooper explained.
For now, Cooper argued, these gangs are brazenly taking advantage of people’s kindness and good nature, but few resort to physical violence.
“We haven’t seen many violent encounters or armed perpetrators,” he said. “In one recent case, the victim was aware a theft was occurring. [and] He confronted the suspect. [the suspect] He dropped his wallet and ran away.”
Cooper and other officers with the Farmington Police Department believe that at least four robberies that have occurred in Farmington within the past month are the work of a “South American theft group.” So far, police have arrested several suspects, including America Daniela Gonzalez Tovar, a 42-year-old Chilean national who is on an FBI watch list for “ties to international crime organizations, specifically the Chilean theft group.”
Cooper advised concerned Americans to be reasonably skeptical of calls for help from strangers and to carefully protect their belongings. “Keep your belongings safe and don’t be rash when shopping. Don’t get paranoid or scared, just be smart and keep your valuables close,” he said.
Unfortunately, valuables can’t always be kept inside the home. Some criminal gangs target homes when the homeowners are away. To protect yourself from home burglaries: Chris BavenderAn FBI public affairs specialist in Indianapolis suggested people “make changes to their daily habits,” “take photos of valuables and store them in a safe,” and avoid leaving “large amounts of cash” at home.
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