Los Angeles protests “South Americans” who fly to the US just to steal: the main country targeted

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has called for urgent measures to prevent “sophisticated” groups of “South American thieves” from continuing to steal from California residents.

According to the LA Times, the number of criminals from South America has increased in the United States over the past five years. The LAPD believes they are traveling for the sole purpose of “committing robberies” against “high-class residents.” Alan Hamiltondeputy chief of the Los Angeles police, made it clear that these groups have become much more active in recent months.

“The number of crimes related to these types of gangs is very, very increasing. They often target homes connected to open spaces, hiking trails and canyons that give them access,” Hamilton said, without being sure whether the thieves were mostly South Americans, but not with too many doubts…

The Los Angeles police described that these groups often attack wealthy neighborhoods to steal valuable items from which they can obtain money to later send to their country. They almost always attack without weapons and often use jamming devices to enter homes.

The issue was considered at Tuesday’s Police Commission meeting which was attended by a working group created specifically to address this issue.

Which countries are in the spotlight

An article in the Los Angeles Times collected statements from some representatives of the Los Angeles police concerned about the issue. The focus is on criminals Chileansbut also in those of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

The trans-Andean country is the one targeted due to the alleged ease that its citizens have in obtaining tourist visas. Benefits including, for example, without asking for background information.

About this, Todd SpitzerOrange County attorney, sued the federal government for failing to disclose negotiations with Chile over visa requirements for travelers and called for measures to prevent travelers from continuing to enter the country as tourists.

The lawyer reported that the Chilean government has refused to comply with its obligation to turn over to the United States the criminal records of Chilean citizens who use the visa program. THIS (Electronic Travel Authorization System) to enter North America for 90-day periods an unlimited number of times.

To illustrate what is happening, the LA Times used the example of a Chilean thief with a tourist visa who stole, used a fake passport to open an account at Bank of America and then transferred thousands of dollars into his village.