FBI Warns South American Theft Groups Linked to String of High-Profile Burglaries

HENRICO COUNTY, VA - A disturbing crime trend previously reported on by Law Enforcement Today involving South American Theft Groups (SATG) has apparently made its way to Henrico County, as police are investigating at least 14 home burglaries that appear to be tied to the group. 

WWBT “12 On Your Side” digital team said the burglaries, most of which occurred in the county’s west end, have all the hallmarks of the group. These thefts involve taking expensive items, including high-end jewelry, designer handbags, precious metals, and cash. 

The outlet reports that detectives have been educating homeowners and business owners about the trend and providing safety tips. 

Earlier this year, on the “Inside the FBI” podcast, the agency said it was investigating recent break-ins at the homes of prominent professional athletes, including Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Those burglaries were attributed to SATG-affiliated criminals. 

“These informal but sophisticated organizations have also recently burglarized jewelry stores and robbed salespeople,” the podcast narrator said. “The groups aim to illegally sell their ill-gotten property or send it overseas, with their profits–and the resulting black-market demand for stolen goods–fueling the cycle of violent crime.” 

A majority of SATG participants are illegal aliens or aliens who have overstayed their visas. They typically use rental vehicles and usually have fake IDs and documents, the agency said. 

SATG thieves target expensive homes in areas with features such as golf courses, parks, or walking trails, which make it easier for them to enter. They use a combination of internet research, surveillance, and commercially available camera and tracking technology to target their marks. 

Once the items are stolen, “they retreat to one of their hubs along the East or West Coast of the United States. From there, they tend to work with accomplices known as ‘fences’ to sell the stolen goods, though they sometimes send a portion of their loot to Chile or Colombia,” the podcast said. 

In the case of the Burrow burglary, three individuals were charged in connection with the burglary. It is alleged they stole nearly $300,000 worth of luggage, jewelry, and other accessories from Burrow’s home. So brazen and unafraid of consequences was this trio that at least one of them took a selfie, in which they and others posed with property stolen from Burrow's home. 

The FBI has taken an aggressive approach to targeting SATGs by dedicating “resources through various active investigations throughout the country and sharing intelligence with law enforcement partners around the world. Member organizations share threat intelligence about these burglaries, and have been able to identify common throughlines across cases in different parts of the country.” 

Then-Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll called SATG “a complex threat to our nation. But because of the close relationships the Bureau has with our partners and the information we’re sharing to tackle this threat, we’ve been able to effectively and efficiently disrupt these organizations and their illegal schemes."

Meanwhile, the agency advises individuals, especially those in high-end neighborhoods, to remain vigilant. While the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are aware of these groups and are working to bring them to justice, their efforts are far from complete. Tips on suspected South American Theft Group activity can be submitted anonymously to the FBI via this link

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