South American 'crime tourist' gangs suspected in several Utah burglaries



Gangs of foreign nationals apparently continue to ravage the country, as some are now suspected in a string of burglaries in the greater Salt Lake City area.

In the past several months, local and federal law enforcement have warned Americans about gangs of foreign nationals allegedly engaging in "burglary tourism" in suburban Detroit, Scottsdale, and Los Angeles. These gangs either target residences while homeowners are away or approach unsuspecting victims to steal belongings off their persons.

'Don't be paranoid or afraid, but just be smart, keep items of value close.'

This second group of thieves follows the same basic modus operandi. Thieves work in pairs or groups of three. One member targets a victim and distracts him or her by asking for help, while an accomplice then quickly snatches the victim's wallet. The thieves then use the victim's cash or credit cards to purchase electronics or other expensive items that can be sold for a profit, all before the victim even realizes anything has been stolen.

"The victim believes the wallet is in the purse until they get to a point of sale or return home," said Lt. Brian Cooper of the Farmington Police Department in Farmington, Utah.

"These suspects are often parts of criminal organizations and will travel doing this. Sometimes they've been referred to as 'crime tourists,'" Cooper added.

Though many American cities have been overrun by migrants in the country illegally, most of these gang members are actually in the U.S. legally, exploiting a security loophole in the federal visa waiver program. They then travel about the country in rental vehicles, reportedly using fake IDs.

While some of these gangs come from China, most originate from Chile or other South American countries. "The common links are they're organized crime groups, they're here temporarily, and in our [recent] experience, they have been foreign nationals, but most closely associated with South American theft groups," Cooper explained.

For now, these gangs have brazenly taken advantage of people's kindness and good nature, but few have engaged in acts of physical violence, Cooper claimed.

"We haven't seen many violent encounters or that they're armed," he said. "In one of our recent cases, the victim realized the theft was occurring [and] confronted the suspect; [the suspect] dropped the wallet and ran."

Cooper and other members of Farmington PD believe "South American theft groups" are responsible for at least four robberies that occurred in Farmington within the past month. So far, police have managed to arrest several suspects, including America Daniela Gonzalez Tobar, a 42-year-old Chilean national listed on an FBI watch list because of her "ties to transnational criminal organizations, specifically the Chilean Theft Group."

Cooper advised concerned Americans to have reasonable skepticism about pleas for help from strangers and to guard their belongings carefully. "Keep your property secure, don't be cavalier when shopping. Don't be paranoid or afraid, but just be smart, keep items of value close," he said.

Unfortunately, valuables may not always be safe at home, either, as some criminal gangs have likewise been known to target residences when homeowners are out of town. To protect themselves against home invasion, Chris Bavender, an FBI public affairs specialist in Indianapolis, suggested that people "vary" their "daily routine," "take photos of valuables and keep those items in a safe," and refrain from leaving "large amounts of cash" in their homes.

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Orange County DA Spitzer slams Mayorkas’ DHS for burglary tourism crisis: ‘This has to stop’



Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer (R) slammed United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for the ongoing and worsening burglary tourism crisis, according to a recent press release from Spitzer’s office.

Southern California has been plagued with an uptick in burglary tourists exploiting the Electronic System for Travel Authorization System Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States without proper vetting. The waiver program allows foreign nationals from certain countries to enter the U.S. for up to 90 days at a time. Within 72 hours of submitting an application, the individuals are granted access.

'Mayorkas’ inaction is resulting in Americans continuing to be terrorized by criminals.'

To participate in the ESTA visa waiver, foreign countries are required to provide criminal background checks for their citizens. However, Chile, whose residents are eligible for the program, refuses to provide such information to the U.S. government, Spitzer noted. As a result, Chilean nationals, including some with criminal histories, are granted access to the U.S. without background checks.

Spitzer’s Friday press release noted that 350,000 Chilean nationals entered the U.S. through the waiver program in 2022.

Despite violating the ESTA requirements, the DHS has not removed Chile from the program.

Spitzer’s office noted that two Chilean nationals were recently “charged in connection with a head-on collision while driving the wrong way on the freeway while being pursued by law enforcement after burglarizing a San Juan Capistrano home.”

Jorge Navarretecorvalan, 32, and Alejandro Tobarfuentes, 32, allegedly crashed their Mini Cooper into a Toyota Camry on June 8. The press release noted that the two suspects, who were driving northbound in southbound lanes, “narrowly” missed an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.

“Navarretecorvalan has been charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary, one felony count of evading a peace officer while driving opposite of traffic, one felony count of driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing injury or death, and one felony count of possession of a forged identification card. Tobarfuentes has been charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary, one felony count of possession of a forged identification card, and one misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools,” Spitzer’s office wrote.

“Navarretecorvalan faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison while Tobarfuentes faces a maximum sentence of six years and eight months in state prison,” the press release added.

Before the head-on crash, the two suspects reportedly broke into a home and stole a safe containing designer handbags and jewelry.

The two men allegedly provided law enforcement with fake Venezuelan identification cards.

The press release noted that Spitzer has been calling on the DHS since May 2023 to close the ESTA loophole that continues to be exploited by foreign crime rings.

“Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has the power to immediately and unilaterally suspend Chile from the ESTA visa waiver program until it complies with the requirement to provide criminal background checks for their citizens,” Spitzer stated. “Instead of holding Chile accountable and preventing a direct pipeline for organized crime to shuttle thieves into the United States, Secretary Mayorkas’ inaction is resulting in Americans continuing to be terrorized by criminals who are stalking them in their homes and waiting for the perfect moment to break their back sliders and steal their most prized possessions. With every pane of shattered glass, they are shattering another family’s sense of security and they are putting everyone on the road at risk as they will do anything and everything to escape from law enforcement. This has to stop — and it has to stop today.”

In April, the DHS told CNN that it is “deeply concerned with some individuals who travel to the United States and engage in criminal activity.” It claimed that the Chilean government has been “improving operational cooperation with DHS to prevent travel ... by known criminal actors.” Additionally, CNN reported that the department is speeding up biometric information sharing between the U.S. and Chile.

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South American burglary rings in US plant hidden cameras in neighborhoods to spy on future victims



South American burglary rings in the United States on tourist visas are planting hidden cameras in neighborhoods to spy on future victims and time their break-ins, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recently warned.

According to law enforcement, one local resident found a camera and a battery pack in a flower bed. Images published by the Lost Hills station showed the camera wrapped in leaves to conceal it.

'Sophisticated method to gain a view of residences and know when homeowners would leave.'

"[South American theft groups], often comprised of Chilean or Columbian nationals, are highly organized criminal enterprises that travel from state-to-state committing burglaries and thefts," the sheriff's office wrote. "Their members are often in the United States on limited tourist visas."

They noted that the thieves use "natural surroundings such as leaves and bushes" to conceal their cameras that record homeowners' activities and patterns.

"The group utilizes remove access technology to monitor the live feed from hidden cameras, enabling real-time surveillance and reconnaissance," authorities warned.

Before planting the surveillance devices, the groups will conduct "extensive scouting to identify optimal locations for hidden camera placement, focusing on areas with minimal visibility."

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The sheriff's office urged California residents to be vigilant and to look out for any potential suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

Last week, Glendale police officers arrested four Columbian nationals for their suspected involvement in a "burglary tourism" ring, KABC-TV reported. The individuals were apprehended following a traffic stop. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered a "video surveillance device with a battery pack charging system camouflaged with leaves."

"This evidence, combined with the finding of freshly disturbed dirt in a planter in the cul-de-sac, led Glendale detectives to believe that the suspects had strategically placed the camera in the planter. This method allowed them to create a sophisticated method to gain a view of residences and know when homeowners would leave," authorities reported. "While fleeing from officers, the suspects began discarding evidence from their car."

Police officers also seized a construction hard hat and vest, a WiFi signal jammer, and several jewelry boxes.

"Signal-blocking devices allow individuals to unlawfully enter homes undetected. This technology disrupts home WiFi systems, cutting the feed of traditional home security systems and cameras, and rendering them ineffective in alerting homeowners or law enforcement to the presence of intruders," police explained.

Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told the Los Angeles Times in March that organized theft rings are not new to the area but are becoming more prevalent.

"The number of crimes tied to these kind of crews are way, way up," Hamilton told the news outlet. "They often target homes often connected to open spaces, hiking trails and canyons that give them access."

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'Burglary tourism' is 'a national issue': Police warn about uptick in foreign criminals abusing visa waiver program



Local law enforcement departments in multiple states are warning about an uptick in South American criminals abusing the United States visa waiver program.

The Los Angeles Police Department told residents that "burglary tourism" has been increasing over the last five years, Blaze News previously reported.

The criminals, mainly from Chile, enter the U.S. through the tourist visa system, which does not require travelers from eligible countries to submit to a background check.

After entering the country, the organized groups target affluent neighborhoods, using WiFi jamming devices to disrupt security systems. The criminal rings steal high-ticket items, including jewelry, designer purses, and other valuables, that they can turn for a quick profit. After selling the items, they send the cash back home.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told the Los Angeles Times last month that the sophisticated heist rings are not new to the area but noted that they have become increasingly more active.

"The number of crimes tied to these kind of crews are way, way up," Hamilton stated. "They often target homes often connected to open spaces, hiking trails and canyons that give them access."

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer explained that the criminals "take advantage of the fact that most people don't have window sensors or motion detectors on their second floors."

According to Spitzer, the burglars sometimes "lie in wait in these ghillie suits so they remain camouflaged."

Scottsdale Police Chief Jeff Walther stated during a recent press conference that burglary tourists are also targeting high-end neighborhoods in Arizona.

"What we're getting is hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, coming in through the visa waiver program that are committing residential burglaries in dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of cities and neighborhoods around the country," Walther remarked. "This is not a Scottsdale issue, this is not a Valley issue, this is not an Arizona issue. This is a national issue."

"We have to be willing to start asking some hard questions of our federal government about the visa waiver program," he added.

CNN reported that within the last year, suspected burglary tourists have also committed heists in Baltimore, Maryland; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Nassau County, New York.

Ventura County, California, officials estimate that there have been approximately 175 such burglary cases between 2019 and mid-2023.

DA Spitzer noted that the Chilean government has not been providing background information for citizens granted visa waivers despite a requirement to do so.

"If we don't know the criminal background of these individuals ... then we can't tell the judge anything or represent anything about the background," he stated. "Which means the person is released on no bail and they never come back again to answer for the charges."

Spitzer demanded that the Department of Homeland Security revoke Chile's participation in the visa waiver program "until they comply with providing criminal background checks."

"This is not a California problem; this is a national issue that is wreaking havoc on communities across the United States," Spitzer wrote in a post on X.

The DHS told CNN it is "deeply concerned with some individuals who travel to the United States and engage in criminal activity." However, it added, "Chilean officials have responded by improving operational cooperation with DHS to prevent travel ... by known criminal actors."

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