Gangs of illegal migrants have reportedly targeted stores in West Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania, to allegedly commit retail theft.
At least three groups of illegal immigrants have allegedly stolen thousands of dollars of merchandise from businesses in the Pennsylvania town within the past month, WPVI 6 ABC reported.
“They’re taking advantage of coming to the U.S. and committing these crimes, and being able to disappear to some degree,” Detective Scott Pezick with the West Whiteland Township Police Department said, according to the outlet.
Two men from Venezuela, identified as Albert Torrealba Jordan and Keiver Guilarte Camps, allegedly stole $2,000 worth of products from the Ulta in Exton on Feb. 1 after crossing into the United States illegally, police said, according to the outlet.
Pezick explained that the town has seen a surge of “South American theft groups” over the last month, according to WPVI 6 ABC. West Whiteland police reportedly said that the national increase of migrants illegally entering the country has impacted their town despite its location 2,000 miles away from the southern border.
One Peruvian national was arrested and deported after stealing $17,000 worth of merchandise from a Kohl’s in June 2023, the outlet reported. He was found back in the United States just months after his removal, police said. (RELATED: ‘F*ck That P*to’: Rank-And-File DHS Officials Applaud Impeachment Of Secretary Mayorkas)
“Recently, I was contacted by a federal agency just alerting me he was back in the country,” Pezick said. “That was less than a month ago and he’s back in the United States.”
Illegal migrant groups have been associated with other crimes, such as burglaries, in the area, according to the outlet. Federal agencies are reportedly assisting police in tracking down suspects.