🚨NO WHITE SUPREMACISTS INVOLVED🚨
FOX 11 Los Angeles published August 28, 2024: Sharing in case you want to watch the 👉FULL PRESS CONFERENCE.
Multiple law enforcement agencies busted a massive organized crime ring operating throughout Southern California. Ventura County, Orange County, Los Angeles County represented in this news conference.
FOX 11 Los Angeles published August 28, 2024: 'Crime tourism' operating out of Van Nuys rental business busted, says FBI.
FBI agents busted what they called a "crime tourism" ring based out of a Van Nuys car rental business, that facilitated criminals from South America.
NBCLA published August 28, 2024: Six people arrested for leading 'crime tourism' stealing operation. The crime tourism ring was responsible for 35 million dollars in thefts according to authorities, who say the ringleaders were based in the San Fernando Valley and recruited thieves from South America. Ted Chen reports
12 News published August 29, 2024: Scottsdale among cities targeted as part of nationwide ‘tourist burglary’ ring. Federal prosecutors say leaders recruited would-be burglars from South America to carry out crimes in cities across the U.S.
12 News NBC, Arizona local
written by Jonathan McCall
Thursday August 29, 2024
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Federal prosecutors have arrested six people in connection to a so-called “tourist burglary” ring
According to federal court records, organized groups of thieves would visit the United States on tourist visits. During the visits, they would break into homes, steal from businesses and commit other financial crimes.
Wednesday, authorities announced the arrests of:
- Juan Carlos Thola-Duran
- Ana Maria Arrigada
- John Carlo Thora
- Patricia Enderton
- Miguel Angel Barjas
- Federico Jorge Tribel IV
According to a 98-page indictment released Wednesday in California, federal prosecutors say the alleged crime operation ran from January 2018 to July 2024. One of the defendants is accused of selling more than $5 million in stolen items, and sending more than $5 million dollars to multiple bank accounts.
Thola and Arriagada ran the operation from a rental car business used to run teams of tourist thieves from South America, specifically the country of Chile.
Thola and Arriagada would rent luxury cars to thieves for around $500 per week, and required would-be burglars to obtain false identity documents, prosecutors said.
The burglars would then drive the cars to cities across the country to carry out crimes.
Stolen merchandise from the sites was then shipped to the ringleaders in California, where the organizers allegedly retrieved the packages and sold the goods, with a percentage of the proceeds paid back to the thieves, the indictment said.
The leaders also told the thieves to use stolen credit and debit cards as quickly as possible, "to max out the stolen credit and debit cards by purchasing electronics, gift cards, designer purses, other high-end luxury goods, or other items before the stolen cards could be frozen or canceled."
One of the alleged incidents took place in January 2023 at a Scottsdale trailhead. Federal investigators say someone connected to the ring broke into a car stealing more than $500 in cash, and credit and debit cards.
The stolen cards were then used to buy 25 Visa and MasterCard gift cards, each with a value of $200 from a Sam’s Club in Chandler.
Investigators say days later, Arriagada used three of the gift cards to pay a water bill at her Southern California home.
According to the indictment, federal prosecutors identified Juan Carlos Thola, and Arriagada as the leaders.
All six face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and more.
Thola and Arriagada could face up to 200 years in prison if convicted.
Earlier this year, 12News first reported on similar crimes in Scottsdale dubbed the “Dinnertime burglaries.”
Detectives say 39 break-ins were carried out at luxury homes. About $600,000 worth of items were stolen at the homes.
Since 2019, over 100 Valley homes have been hit by an organized ring of crooks that target residences while the owners are out in the evening.
Scottsdale Police Chief Jeff Walther said these burglars are members of a South American Crime Syndicate and they've been getting more high-tech with their approach.
“The majority of suspects that have been identified come from the country of Chile, which is on the Visa Waiver Program," Chief Walther said.
They steal cash, jewelry, and luxury purses that they then sell on the black market. However, Walther said there are some items they don't take such as jewelry with serial numbers that can get traced back to them or firearms.
It's an issue that is going on all over the United States but Walther said Scottsdale saw its first case in 2019. Since then, the methods used by the burglars have become more advanced.
12News reached out to Scottsdale police and the US Attorney’s Office of Central California to ask if the same crime ring in Southern California is connected to burglaries in Scottsdale.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California would not confirm if they were, only saying “The case is still under investigation.”
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