Topics: Theft : South American Theft Groups
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(using special bags to default security devices in stores), bank surveillance (following bank customers who have withdrawn large amounts of cash and inconspicuously cutting the right, rear tire of the victim's vehicle to render the tire flat), store surveillance (following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.
Cargo Theft
Highly organized factions of the trans-national criminal newtwork SATG have tapped into large scale thefts at the ports.
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Jewel Heists
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.
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Lottery Flim Flam
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).
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Pick Pockets
It is theorized that members of the South American Theft Groups (SATG) begin their criminal careers as pick pockets.
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Retail Thefts
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.
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