LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told the far-left and slowly dying Los Angeles Times that “South American theft groups are not new in L.A., but they have become more active in recent months.”

The Times adds: “He cautioned that it’s difficult to know for certain how many robberies can be attributed to foreign burglars, but said evidence indicates they are behind scores of break-ins.” In one area, north of the 118 freeway, he estimates there “were 94 burglaries, many probably committed by these crews.”

He explained that they target wealthy neighborhoods and look for jewelry, which is easy to fence for cash. Most are unarmed. “They don’t want to get gun charges,” Hamilton said. “They sometimes carry jamming devices to disable home security systems.”