Seven people are charged in what the Justice Department describes as an intercontinental "crime tourism" ring that targeted affluent locations across the nation so that more than $5 million in stolen goods could be shipped to South America.
Federal prosecutors describe the operation as a concierge service of sorts for criminals, where bands of thieves from South America came into the Los Angeles area and were given cars and directions to upscale areas across the country that ring organizers felt were ripe for burglaries, shoplifting and fraud.
"In essence, they acted as quarterbacks for a team of thieves," said Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. “Crime tourism is a major problem impacting not just Southern California, but our entire nation."