FBI warns of international theft groups operating in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — As spring blooms and summer approaches, many families around central Indiana may already be lining up their next vacation. FBI Indianapolis is warning Hoosiers to take precautions, however, for international criminals are operating in the area and targeting the homes of families who leave town.

The FBI said these theft groups typically comprise individuals from South American countries who operate in organized theft rings across the country. Members of these groups have already been caught and arrested for burglaries and thefts in Kokomo, Greenfield and several cities in Hamilton County.

The FBI said these groups are known to target homes in affluent neighborhoods but are also likely responsible for distraction robberies in grocery stores, like when several South American women were busted for stealing from shoppers’ purses in Kokomo. The FBI said the thieves will often try to steal credit cards from wallets in order to purchase pre-paid gift cards.

Home burglaries committed by these groups often include the thieves monitoring the home and learning the victims’ schedules before striking while the residents are out of town, the FBI said. The groups often focus on the master bedroom and take jewelry, accessories and cash.

Just recently, multiple members of a South American theft group pleaded guilty to stealing $250,000 in bags and jewelry from a gated community in Carmel.

“This crime is definitely on the FBI’s radar, and we are tracking identified international organized theft groups to intercept them as they move between targets and are working with our law enforcement partners to mitigate the threat,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton.

The FBI recommends the following precautions to avoid becoming a victim of these theft groups: