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Top: Society: Crime: Theft: South_American_Theft_Groups
| Sites submitted that pertain to thefts (robberies, burglaries or fruadulent deceit) will be reviewed to ensure that it is SATG related. |
South American Theft Groups (SATGs) have been categorized by the FBI as a trans-national criminal network. They are bands of thieves consisting of both male and female adults who travel the globe conducting various criminal theft activities. While most are from Colombia, other identified members have originated from Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico and other areas.SATGs have existed for decades. Many law enforcement officers (LEOs) believe the groups started as pickpockets after being professionally trained at the School of Seven Bells, or so legend has it. The criminal activities have expanded to general distraction thefts (creating a distraction to rob victims), lotto flim-flam (passing forged winning tickets), retail boosting (using special bags to default security devices in stores), bank surveillance (following bank customers who have withdrawn large amounts of cash and inconspicuously cutting the right, rear tire of the victim's vehicle to render the tire flat), store surveillance (following customers who have purchased large ticket items), and armed robberies of jewelers.
Members of the groups are interchangeable, however many specialize in one area. They use aliases, are able to obtain fraudulent identity documents and are highly mobile; they are able to travel anywhere at any time. They speak Spanish, often in code, and communicate via prepaid cellular phone, walkie-talkies, Nextels, or hand signals. Most are in the United States illegally and have extensive criminal histories. Some have even been previously deported. They will often claim being from Puerto Rico or Mexico. They utilize rental vehicles (often SUVs) via a fraudulent or stolen creit card, or late model used vehicles Under a fraud identity with a paper license tag. .
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Sites submitted should concentrate on the SATG involvement in thefts of cargo during the import or export process. |
Highly organized factions of the trans-national criminal newtwork SATG have tapped into large scale thefts at the ports. These are the groups that rob entire containers of merchandise upon its arrival or prior to export.
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Sites submitted should be directly related to jewel heists conducted by South American Theft Groups. |
Many of the South American Theft Group members who show success in their early stages of distraction thefts and pick pocketing move on to crime groups conducting activities on a much larger scale such as jewel groups.Some active jewel groups remain loyal to their craft; these groups are opportunists, waiting patiently for the "target" to become complacent and then striking with stealth or distraction. However, other jewel groups have resorted to escalated violent attacks on victims. Such attacks include carjackings, home invasions, and armed robberies conducted with commando-style precision. Some law enforcement officials attribute this to the demobilization of paramilitary groups in Colombia and the enjoining of former guerillas with the theft groups.
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While lotto flim flam may be conducted by con artists other than SATG, sites submitted here should make specific reference to the SATG. |
One of the early stage, non-violent schemes run by the SATG, and often utilized for training, is the Flim Flam (as so coined by the con artists). The SATG often use the ruse of "winning the lottery," but are "unable" to cash the ticket on account of being "an illegal alien." The SATG will display a fraudulent ticket, gain the victim's confidence, and convince the victim to withdraw a sizable amount of money to purchase the ticket.
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Sites submitted to this category should encompass pick pocketing as it relates to the South American Theft Groups. |
It is theorized that members of the South American Theft Groups (SATG) begin their criminal careers as pick pockets. The legend of the School of Seven Bells exists, wherein the SATGs are trained in deception with a final exam of lifting items from a mannequin whose pockets contain bells (and/or razor blades). One ring of the bell and the student fails. Most members SATGs master the art of pick pocketing. Some remain specialists in this area while others move on to larger scaled crimes.
| Sites submitted should encompass organized retail thefts with regard to the South American Theft Groups. |
Some South American Theft Groups specialize in shoplifting, or "boosting", on a large scale. Items of interest may be printer cartridges, electronics, clothing, cosmetics, airline ticket stock, or baby formula. They are very fast, crafty, and utilize special bags to default security devices.
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