Wealthy West Coast suburb is living in fear as South American gang uses sinister tech to track their every move

Residents of a wealthy west coast suburb are terrified that a South American gang is keeping a close eye on them using drones to target their homes.

Three houses in San Clarita Valley in a closed Valencia community There was a recent burglary and locals have condemned the thieves as having links to a South American gang KTL.

Locals believe the gang members operate drones to spy on their homes and see if the property is empty before making their way into wealthy neighborhoods.

“A few days ago we noticed drones flying over our house,” a resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told KTLA. “It appears they are using advanced technology to monitor the house to see who is home and who is not.”

When some bold neighbors decided to follow the drones, they discovered a group of men standing in the parking lot of La Quinta Inn who matched the description of the burglars seen breaking into the homes.

“There were five of them hanging out together and as soon as they noticed they were being watched, they all took off and ran in different directions,” the resident revealed.

Residents of Valencia are now on high alert for suspicious activity, with some even hiring security to protect their homes.

Locals also believe the alleged gang is part of the growing crime tourism trend, in which foreign nations come to the US with the intention of committing theft.

Locals believe the gang uses drones to spy on their homes to see if the property is empty before making their way into the wealthy neighborhoods. “A few days ago we noticed drones flying over our house,” said a resident

Earlier this year, an Orange County couple had millions in jewelry stolen from a hidden safe by out-of-state thieves.

Carol and Jeff Starr had stored their wedding rings and very valuable heirlooms from Carol’s late mother in a seven-foot safe.

“They hit the jackpot,” Carol said CNN in April.

“My mother loved beautiful things and she wanted to leave a legacy through jewelry,” Carol Starr said. “She bought beautiful antique jewelry, museum-quality jewelry.”

Prosecutors allege the gang of robbers hid on the hill next to the Starr’s home, saw them leaving the house with visitors and continued the robbery.

“They came over our fence, they broke through a window in the top bedroom and got through that window,” Jeff Starr told CNN. ‘And then we immediately got to work… on the safe.’

The Starrs told CNN they believe they have lost about $8 million worth of valuables.

“You no longer feel safe in your own home,” Carol said. ‘I get so emotional and angry when I think about what could have happened.’

The Los Angeles Police Department launched a task force earlier this year to try to crack down on crime voyeurism.

When some bold neighbors decided to track the drones, they discovered a group of men standing in a La Quinta Inn parking lot who seemed to fit the description of the burglars seen breaking into homes nearby (photo: Thieves caught on surveillance )

Locals also believe the alleged gang is part of the growing trend in crime tourism, where foreign nations come to the US with the intention of committing theft (photo: gated community)

Thieves from Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru are targeting wealthy neighborhoods in places with lax criminal laws, like California, to commit crimes and take home their expensive loot.

The disturbing trend of “lanzas internacionales” – translated to “international thieves” – goes back at least two years in the US and has hit California particularly hard.

The FBI has set up its own task force in 2022 to combat the thieves.

A 17-year-old Chilean national was arrested in Arizona this year after a series of jewelry robberies in the California city.

The suspect and his two accomplices – 32-year-old Grecia Romanduski Gaete Castillo and 23-year-old Sebastian Jesus Parraguez Soto, all from Chile – were taken into custody, where they admitted to breaking into several homes in the region.

The teen forged Venezuelan identification and continually escaped the LAPD by making excuses that his parents left him alone in the country with a family friend.

He then disappeared after being turned over to the Department of Children and Family Services.

In another case, Chilean Felipe Leiva Solis, 33, was arrested multiple times last year after being suspected of being part of “an organized burglary ring responsible for at least 10 home burglaries in Glendale,” authorities said.

But the problem is exclusive to California, as the homes of NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were recently hit (Photo: Mahomes’ home in Belton)

Kelce’s $6 million property in Leawood, Kansas (pictured) was raided by thieves last month

The NFL has issued a security alert following the burglaries of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes

He was arrested along with Abraham Pablo Herrera Montecino – also known as Juan Eduardo Salomon Castro – and Francisco Alegria Velasquez, two more members of the alleged crew.

An LAPD detective said in a court affidavit that Leiva Solis was part of a team involved in more than 30 thefts in the West Los Angeles area alone, and that he used a fake passport to create an account open at Bank of America to transfer $23,000 home. .

Three other members of the alleged crew were found with more than $1 million worth of stolen clothing after a single burglary on December 27 in Beverly Hills.

But the problem is exclusive to California, as the homes of NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were recently hit.

Both Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes saw their luxury properties raided by thieves within 24 hours, with an FBI investigation leading police to believe a South American crime gang was responsible.

While Patrick reportedly lost jerseys, medals, trophies, awards and more, Travis reportedly took $100,000 worth of jewelry and his very first Super Bowl jersey from his home in Leawood, Kansas.

The disturbing trend of ‘lanzas internacionales’ – translated to ‘international thieves’ – goes back at least two years in the US and has hit California particularly hard

The Michigan radio station reports this WCSYAuthorities now found Kelce’s watch this week in Providence, Rhode Island.

Police had not previously disclosed that a watch had been stolen from the Chiefs’ notebook, although they did confirm that $20,000 in cash had been taken.

Following the burglaries at Kelce and Mahomes’ properties, the NFL this week sent a security alert to team security directors and the players’ union about organized and experienced criminals targeting the homes of professional athletes.

The FBI believes the thieves going after sports stars are part of a wider underworld organization, meaning players have been warned to take extra precautions at home.