Cruel burglary tourists who bring misery to British victims
JAILING the burglars, Judge Jonathan Davies said: ‘ No one here or abroad should be under an illusion that somehow the UK is a soft touch.’ Strong words. But, sadly, it’s not a warning Chile’s criminal fraternity seems remotely bothered by.
Over the past couple of years the number of young men from the South American nation travelling to Britain for one purpose alone – crime – has shown no let-up.
In that time, dozens of Chilean burglars have been arrested, charged, convicted and jailed for their role in a multi-million pound criminal endeavour that has brought misery to hundreds of British homeowners. And, yet, as the latest highprofile raid suggests, still they are willing to chance their arm. After all, the rewards are high. Shortly after Christmas, a 25-yearold man was arrested by border officials having flown back in to Santiago, Chile’s capital, from Spain.
He had been in Europe for five months during which time a warrant was issued for his arrest. Quizzed by officials, he admitted a number of burglaries in and around London. When they searched his belongings they found a package containing diamonds worth more than £50,000, which he’d removed from pieces of jewellery he had taken.
In a separate case, police intercepted a crate bound for Chile from Heathrow holding jewellery including a £100,000 Franck Muller watch.
Of course, the ultimate beneficiaries of these crimes aren’t the footsoldiers who carry out the burglaries – but the ringleaders who co-ordinate them. Police believe the socalled burglary tourists are paid to travel over from Chile by highlevel criminals based in London. Many of those recruited have criminal records for burglary and robbery back at home.
If here as tourists, Chileans can stay in the UK for up to six months without visas – more than enough time for the purpose of their visit.
Indeed, the aim is for them to be in and out of the country in a matter of weeks – during which time they will target multiple properties. Even if they leave clues behind, the police here will have no record of them and, by the time they begin to piece together the clues, they will be heading back home on a plane.
It is thought that when the Chileans arrive in the country they hand over their identification papers and are given a car and mobile phone, before being directed to homes previously identified by the gang.
Three dots had been sprayed on to the back fence of the Wareings’ home. This identified it to the burglars – who included Danko Carvajal-Donaire and Nicolas Portilla Astorga – as a high-value property. The victim of another gang, whose house in Kent was targeted, told the Mail how before the raid he had spotted moped riders acting strangely outside his property.
‘The man on the moped said, “That one” and pointed at our house,’ the homeowner recalled. ‘They stopped at the end of the road so I followed them, thinking it was peculiar, but when I got there they sped off. My theory is they were casing the house.’
THE burglars also select their victims carefully, targeting wealthy suburbs and often gaining entry on the first floor to avoid setting off alarms.
Having raided the houses, the burglars generally hand over the stolen goods to those higher up the criminal network. Having noticed a particular pattern of burglaries, the Metropolitan Police set up Operation Genie in 2017 to target the gangs. Other forces have followed suit.
While the criminals generally target high-value goods, one homeowner was bemused to discover their approach to football memorabilia. Of three shirts, only one had been left behind – the England one.
A Brazilian shirt had been taken as had a signed Liverpool one bearing the name of Uruguayan star Luis Suarez. Only later, when police arrested one of the burglars, did the reason for the shirt selection become clear – the burglar was from Chile and had a personal interest in South American football.
Over in Chile, the authorities insist they are doing everything they can to help British police.
Meanwhile, police here say they continue to work with the UK Border Agency and Europol to deny foreign criminals access to the UK. Given the losses suffered by the Wareings and other victims, one can only hope they have more success in the future than they have had thus far.