Authorities are issuing a warning about sophisticated crime rings known as 'burglary tourists.'
In California, burglars are using sophisticated means to rob wealthy homes. They wear camouflage to scope the neighborhoods, use wi-fi jammers to prevent security alarm systems, and break into homes from the second floor where there are fewer security measures when owners are away.
Authorities are blaming these crimes on “burglary tourists”, and claiming that the culprits are entering the country from South America.
Burglaries in Los Angeles are unfortunately nothing new. Just this Easter, $30 million cash was stolen from a money storage facility. Last November, a thief who stole $5.5 million from luxury homes in Los Angeles was sentenced to 31 years in prison. His victims included Usher, Adam Lambert, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars Dorit and Paul Kemsley.
But this particular type of burglary involving tourists has seen an uptick in recent years according to LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton. They operate without guns and target high-end homes they suspect would have cash and jewelry that could be sold. Then these international organized groups wire the money to their home countries.
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LAPD has formed a task force to deal with the problem. Similar crimes have also been reported elsewhere in California, in both Orange County and San Diego; as well as Scottsdale, Arizona; Nassau County, New York; and Baltimore, Maryland.
Many of these burglaries are linked with Chilean nationals, who can enter the U.S. without a visa for a 90-day stay.
Visa Waiver Program
Chile is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows nations of participating countries to visit the U.S. on business or tourism without a visa for 90 days. It is the only South American country to be eligible for this waiver. Travelers still need an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to their trip. Citizens also need e-passports with an electronic chip containing biometrics and machine readability.
The U.S. Department of State explains that a country needs to fulfil certain conditions to get the VWP status such as “enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the United States” and “maintenance of high counterterrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.” But meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee the status; the designation is at the discretion of the U.S. government.
American passport holders, in return, can enter 189 countries without a visa as per The Henley Passport Index.
Currently, questions are being asked about this federal program, especially by Orange County, California, District Attorney Todd Spitzer who sued the federal government for not disclosing visa negotiations with Chile.
In Scottsdale, Arizona, police arrested three Chilean nationals for a series of burglaries in the city. In a press conference in March, Scottsdale Police Chief Jeff Walther said that not all Chileans coming to the country are committing crimes. “But what we’re getting is hundreds, hundreds if not thousands coming in through the visa waiver program that are committing residential burglaries in dozens and dozens and dozens of cities and neighborhoods around the country.”
Homeland Security said in a statement to CNN that it’s concerning that some individuals are engaging in criminal activities. “Chilean officials have responded by improving operational cooperation with DHS to prevent travel… by known criminal actors.”
Nationals from other South American countries including Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador are also allegedly involved in these thefts, but they go through much more scrutiny because they need to apply for visas.
The Numbers Paint a Completely Different (and Much Safer) Picture
There may be a rise in these robberies, but however unsettling the headlines or TikToks may seem, the numbers still show a different picture.
For years, public perception has been that the crime rate is going up even when agencies have said otherwise. According to a Gallup poll in November 2023, 77% of Americans surveyed believed that there is more crime in the country compared to the previous year.
In reality, the crime rate in the U.S. is falling. The FBI data from 2023 pointed to a downward slope with reported violent crime down by 6% and property crime declined by 4%. Experts warn that the numbers may be incomplete, but it’s still encouraging.
Despite a slight uptick in burglaries in California from 2021 to 2022, there’s been a consistent decline over the last 10 years. Between 2014 and 2022, burglaries in the state were down 38%. And in Los Angeles County, burglaries are down 17% since 2014.
Police remind people to maintain their camera and security systems, let neighbors know when you’re traveling, and use timers for lights to indicate you’re home because they appear to break into empty homes.
The only reason the crime rate is falling is because large city DAs are not prosecuting many crimes.
Why worry about the lack of visa requirements for Chile. Anyone can walk across the Southern border of the United States with absolutely no concern about being confronted or stopped from entering the country. The problem is a whole lot bigger than the visa waiver program.
The FBI cime stats are skewed. They changed their reporting system in 2021, which excluded over 6,000 of the 18,000 police agencies that reported prior to 2021. Over 25% of the U.S. population is not included in current FBI crime stats. Makes you wonder what the true crime trends are.