U.S. authorities are cautioning against a growing burglary trend in which foreign culprits — primarily from Chile — are exploiting a State Department travel program to plan to execute robberies in upscale American neighborhoods. The U.S. Visa Waiver Program permits tourists and business travelers from Chile to enter the States for a maximum of 90 days without requiring a visa or a thorough vetting process.
These criminals utilize sophisticated techniques to perpetrate burglaries in upscale neighborhoods. Some methods and technology deployed by the criminal burglary rings include cellphone-jamming equipment to bypass security systems, Wi-Fi networks, and ghillie suits to go incognito, lurking and awaiting opportune moments to break into houses. They frequently gain access through less-guarded second-floor entrance points and later dispose of the stolen goods domestically or internationally. The stolen items are quickly fenced, and the ill-gotten monetary gains are returned to Chile.
According to Orange County D.A. Todd Spitzer, these burglaries are well-orchestrated assaults undermining the domestic security of American households. Incidents of thievery, reported from Michigan, New Jersey, and New York to Alaska and Southern California, have incited a public outcry for officials to put an end to the heists. Police in Los Angeles have launched a special task force to apprehend the burglars.
Under the Visa Waiver Program, Chile is obligated to conduct criminal background checks and share results with the U.S. This agreement hasn’t been successfully executed, Spitzer’s office alleges. This lapse has resulted in hardened criminals appearing only as first-time offenders when apprehended in the U.S., underscoring the critical need for policy reassessment. Consequently, Spitzer’s office and top law enforcement sources have urged the State Department and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to reconsider Chile’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program.
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