6 arrested in crime tourism bust; group allegedly ran LA-based car rental company for thieves

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- 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.

Federal authorities said they served 11 search warrants - mostly in the San Fernando Valley, but as far north as Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita and Palmdale. Twenty-five vehicles, several properties and some horses were seized.

FBI officials, the LAPD and two district attorneys announced arrests in connection with an investigation into an alleged international burglary crew.

"This is not just a local problem. The crimes are affecting not just one city, one county, one region, one state, but the entire country," said Martin Estrada, U.S. attorney for California's Central District. "But, the effects of crime tourism are being felt very acutely here in Southern California."

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.

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

According to Estrada, the group helped organize about 120 burglaries or thefts 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.

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.

Thola-Duran then arranged for the thieves to deliver stolen goods to associates at DPR or to mail the products to other accomplices, including defendant Miguel Angel Barajas, 57, of Northridge, or to conspirators at a FedEx store in Sherman Oaks, prosecutors allege.

At Thola-Duran's direction, defendants Barajas, John Carlo Thola, 33, of Canoga Park, and others picked up the parcels then delivered them to Thola-Duran and other conspirators, with Thola-Duran acting as a fence to buy the goods at a fraction of their retail value, the indictment contends.

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.

The defendants allegedly used the proceeds of the thefts to purchase assets such as real estate and horses, and structured cash withdrawals to avoid triggering the requirement that banks report transactions exceeding $10,000 to the U.S. Treasury Department.

The indictment alleges that Thola-Duran, Arriagada, and others from May 2020 to June 2021 also conspired to fraudulently obtain $274,998 in COVID-19 business relief loans.

If convicted as charged, the defendants could face decades in federal prison.

Crime tourism in Southern California

In addition to the arrests announced Wednesday, Estrada gave other examples of how local and federal authorities have been cracking down on crime tourists across the Southland.

Another indictment was filed this week against two South American crime tourists who allegedly committed an armed robbery in Beverly Hills and were later found to be in possession of a gun that once belonged to Christopher Dorner.

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

City News Service contributed to this report.