A "Crime Tourism" Ring Was Taken Down In Los Angeles Yesterday and Wait A Minute, "Crime Tourism" Is An Actual Thing?

ABC LA - The owners of a Van Nuys car-rental agency are accused of using the business as a front to operate a crime-tourism ring, bringing in criminals from South America to steal millions of dollars in cash and property from Southern California businesses and homes.

Authorities on Wednesday announced a takedown of the alleged criminal crew, arresting six people including the owner of the business.

They are facing multiple federal criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and structuring transactions to avoid financial reporting requirements. The indictment alleges a Santa Clarita Valley man facilitated the "crime tourism group of South Americans" in burglaries, thefts and other crimes.

We're gonna dissect this one in parts. Half because it's so much to take in, and half because it's so inconceivable. 

So follow along here for a little bit. 

The indictment alleges Juan Carlos Thola-Duran, 57, of Canyon Country, and his live-in girlfriend, Ana Maria Arriagada, 41, controlled and operated Driver Power Rentals, the seventh defendant named in the indictment. Arriagada was the registered owner of the Van Nuys-based car rental business.

DPR catered to the crime tourists and dispatched them to go commit the crimes, authorities said. They're accused of offering high-end cars to blend into the communities they were burglarizing. Authorities say the defendants insisted on being presented with fake IDs, and would turn away anyone trying to rent a car with an authentic one.

Imagine going in to rent a car, being asked to present identification, then presenting your very real drivers license and being told, "oops, sorry. We actually can't rent to you."? 

Well that's what was going down at the Arriagada's little mom-and-pop rental agency. This most definitely wasn't Enterprise, where they give you the tools to be your own boss. 

This was a far cry from that my friends. 

"In this way, the defendants acted, essentially, as quarterbacks for a massive teams of eager thieves," Estrada said.

According to Estrada, the group helped organize about 120 burglaries or hefts in 80 cities throughout California and across the United States just during the period of their investigation.

From roughly January 2018 to last month, Thola-Duran allegedly directed crime tourism theft groups from South America to travel to various parts of the United States to commit thefts, including shoplifting and burglarizing homes and businesses, and stealing victims' credit and debit cards, according to the 46-count indictment.

Ok so just so we have this straight up to this point, people would travel to Los Angeles with the sole intention of coming to this car rental agency, being given the keys to a car only after showing fake identification, and being given assignments and luxury cars to go out and rob houses and stores. 

Most people visit the United States from other country's to see our major cities, or national parks, to ski, or visit our beaches, the list goes on and on. One thing that never crossed my mind that attracted tourists was to commit grand larceny. That is definitely a new one that I have yet to see in a travel brochure. 

You're gotta watch the video of U.S. Attorney Estrada describing this operation. It's wild. 

And astonishingly, this was an extremely lucrative business venture for all involved. Extremely. 

Thola-Duran and Arriagada allegedly ordered criminals who stole credit cards to immediately go to stores such as Target, Best Buy and Home Depot to max out the stolen cards by purchasing electronics, gift cards, designer purses and other high-end luxury goods before the pilfered cards could be canceled, the indictment says.

Federal prosecutors allege the Santa Clarita man then sold the stolen goods to other buyers for about $5.5 million over the course of the conspiracy, including $5.1 million sent to various bank accounts controlled by accomplices.

"Our message to crime tourists is this: your days are numbered," Estrada added.

Am I guilty of having my head in the sand and not realizing this was a thing? Or is this news to everybody else as well? 

Think about what a game changer it is if you could actually profit by taking a vacation. 

Most of us law-abiding schmucks go on vacation once a year and it costs us a fortune. You gotta save up for it, find a deal on flights and hotel, budget for your overpriced meals and drinks, and hope you can still pay your rent when you get back from the trip. 

But what if you could not only call that trips cost a wash, but you could actually come out in the black? All you had to do was visit a special car rental agency - straight out of the Grand Theft Auto video games - where they slide you an envelope with fake credentials and instructions on where to go and who to rob? 

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It's like a twisted version of Airbnb, where instead of a cozy apartment, you get a high-end car and a list of potential targets.

Pretty savvy business model if we're being honest. 

Just like Calogero told his father Lorenzo in A Bronx Tale, "the working mans a sucker."