A wave of thefts on luxury homes in the US has sparked concerns of "burglary tourists" exploiting the visa waiver system.
It is believed that criminals are entering America as "tourists" but are involved in burglaries targeting affluent neighbourhoods.
It comes after wealthy couple, Carol and Jeff Starr of Orange County, California, had millions of dollars worth of family jewellery stolen.
A "burglary tourist gang" made off with $8million worth of items, including heirlooms passed down from Carol's late mother.
A wave of thefts on luxury homes in the US have sparked concerns of "burglary tourists" exploiting the visa waiver system
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Experts suggest the issue has been increasing over the past five years, with people - often from South American countries - using the tourist visa system to steal from Americans.
Prosecutors claim that the group hid in the hillside adjoining the Starr's home, watched them leave the house and carried out the crime.
"They take advantage of the fact that most people don't have window sensors or motion detectors on their second floors," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told CNN.
"They have WiFi jammers to stop the alarm company from being notified."
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According to law enforcement chiefs foreigners enter the country illegally or exploit a 2014 visa waiver programme designed to encourage tourism from a number of trusted countries.
The system, known as ESTA - Electronic System for Travel Authorization - allows South Americans to enter the US for an unlimited number of 90-day periods.
The FBI claim that the burglars group together and target luxury homes with well thought out plans.
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said the particular kind of theft has become a real issue.
It is believed that criminals are entering America as 'tourists' but are involved in burglaries targeting affluent neighbourhoods
GETTY"They often target homes often connected to open spaces, hiking trails and canyons that give them access," he told the LA times.
Burglary tourism has become such an issue in Southern California that the LAPD has launched a team to combat the surge of robbers.
The FBI previously set up its own task force to tackle the thieves in 2022.
