By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-23 16:48:28 | Updated at 2024-11-23 19:16:21
2 hours ago
Residents of a wealthy West Coast suburb are terrified that a South American gang is surveilling them closely using drones to target their homes.
Three homes in San Clarita Valley in a gated Valencia community were recently burglarized, and locals are convicted the thieves are connected to a South American gang, according to KTLA.
Locals believe the gang members are piloting drones to spy on their homes and see if the property is empty before smashing their way into the wealthy neighborhoods.
'A few days ago, we noticed that there were drones flying above our house,' a resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told KTLA. 'It appears they’re using sophisticated technology to surveil the home to see who’s home and who’s not.'
When a few brazen neighbors decided to follow the drones, they discovered a group of men standing in a La Quinta Inn parking, who matched the description of the burglars seen breaking into the homes.
'There’s five of them who were hanging out together and as soon as they noticed that they were being watched, they all took off and ran in different directions,' the resident revealed.
Valencia residents are now on high alert for any suspicious activities, with some even hiring security to protect their homes.
Locals also believe the alleged gang is part of the growing trend in crime tourism, where foreign nations come in the US with the intent to commit theft.
Three homes in San Clarita Valley (pictured) were burglarized, despite being located in a gated Valencia community, and locals are convicted the thieves are connected to a South American gang
Locals believe the gang is using drones to spy on their homes to see if the property is empty before smashing their way into the wealthy neighborhoods. 'A few days ago, we noticed that there were drones flying above our house,' a resident said
Earlier this year, an Orange County couple had millions worth of jewelry stolen from a hidden safe by foreign thieves.
Carol and Jeff Starr had locked away their wedding rings, as well as highly valuable heirlooms passed down from Carol's late mother, in a six-foot-tall safe.
'They hit the jackpot,' Carol told CNN in April.
'My mother loved beautiful things and she wanted to leave a legacy through jewelry,' Carol Starr said. 'She bought some beautiful antique jewelry, museum-quality jewelry.'
Prosecutors claim that the band of robbers hid in the hillside adjoining the Starr's home, watched them leave the house with visitors and proceeded with the robbery.
'They came over our fence, they broke through a window in the upper bedroom and came through that window,' Jeff Starr told CNN. 'And then immediately started working … on the safe.'
The Starrs told CNN they believe they have lost around $8 million in valuables.
'You don't feel safe in your own home anymore,' said Carol. 'I get so emotional and so mad when I think about what could have happened.'
The Los Angeles Police Department has launched a task force earlier this year to try to crack down on crime voyeurism.
When a few brazen neighbors decided to follow the drones, they discovered a group of men standing in a La Quinta Inn parking, who appeared to match the description of the burglars seen breaking into homes in the neighborhood (pictured: thieves caught on surveillance)
Locals also believe the alleged gang is apart of the growing trend in crime tourism, where foreign nations come in the US with the intent to commit theft (pictured: gated community)
Thieves from Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru target wealthy neighborhoods in places with lax criminal justice laws, like California, to commit crimes and bring their expensive loots home.
The troubling trend of 'lanzas internacionales' - translated to 'international thieves' - goes back at least two years across the US and have hit California particularly hard.
The FBI set up its own task force to combat the thieves in 2022.
A 17-year-old Chilean national was caught in Arizona following a series of jewel heists across the California city this year.
The suspect and his two accomplices - 32-year-old Grecia Romanduski Gaete Castillo and 23-year-old Sebastian Jesus Parraguez Soto, all from Chile - were taken into custody, where they admitted to breaking into several homes in the region.
The teenager falsified Venezuelan identification and continuously got away from the LAPD by making excuses that his parents had left him alone in the country with a friend of the family.
He then disappeared after he was turned over to the child and family services unit.
In another instance, Chilean Felipe Leiva Solis, 33, was apprehended multiple times last year after being suspected of being part of 'an organized burglary ring responsible for a minimum of ten residential burglaries in Glendale,' authorities said.
But the problem is solely in California, as NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's homes were recently hit (pictured: Mahomes' home in Belton)
Kelce's $6million property in Leawood, Kansas, (pictured) was raided by thieves last month
The NFL has issued a security alert after the burglaries of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes
He was arrested alongside Abraham Pablo Herrera Montecino - AKA Juan Eduardo Salomon Castro - and Francisco Alegria Velasquez, two more members of the alleged crew.
One detective with the LAPD said in a court declaration that Leiva Solis was part of a crew linked to over 30 thefts in the West Los Angeles area alone, and saying he used a fake passport to open an account with Bank of America to wire $23,000 home.
Three other members of the alleged crew were found with over $1million in stolen apparel from a single burglary on December 27 in Beverly Hills.
But the problem is solely in California, as NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's homes were recently hit.
Both Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes saw their luxury properties raided by thieves in the space of 24 hours, with an FBI investigation leading cops to believe a South American crime ring is responsible.
While Patrick is said to have lost jerseys, medals, trophies, awards and more, Travis reportedly had $100,000 in jewelry and his first ever Super Bowl jersey taken from his home in Leawood, Kansas.
The troubling trend of 'lanzas internacionales' - translated to 'international thieves' - goes back at least two years across the US and have hit California particularly hard
According to Michigan radio station WCSY, authorities have now found a watch belonging to Kelce in Providence, Rhode Island this week.
Police had not previously disclosed that a watch was stolen from the Chiefs tight end's pad, though they did confirm that $20,000 in cash was taken.
Following the burglaries at Kelce and Mahomes' properties, the NFL sent a security alert to team security directors and the players' union this week about organized and skilled criminals that are targeting the homes of professional athletes.
The FBI is convinced that the thieves going after sports stars are part of a wider underworld organization, meaning players have been warned to take extra precautions at their homes.
