South American Bandits Indicted for Bank Robberies

A federal grand jury has indicted 11 foreign nationals, primarily from Chile, for their alleged involvement in a series of bank and ATM robberies across California, Oregon, and Washington, resulting in over $4 million in thefts. The crew employed sophisticated tactics, including disguises as construction workers, blowtorches, and cellphone jammers, to execute their heists from May to October. Prosecutors detailed how the bandits scouted vulnerable locations, rented nearby short-term properties, and utilized black market vehicles to avoid detection. Nine suspects were arrested last week, with two additional arrests occurring in Washington. If convicted, the defendants face substantial prison sentences, including up to 20 years for bank robbery. The group's methodical approach included breaking into adjacent businesses to access bank vaults, with some incidents leading to interruptions and abandoned tools at the scene.