This is an incredible story from Illinois. A family of Romani was arrested this week for shoplifting millions of dollars of merchandise from stores over a ten year period and selling the stolen goods on eBay.
More of David Lubell’s Immigrant ‘entrepreneurs?‘
The first story sent to me today by a reader while I was away is this one from AP. Note that the only way we know they are immigrants is that the wife needed a Romani translator for her court appearance.
However, a second story unearthed by ‘pungentpeppers’ identified them as being from the former Yugoslavia. The funny thing is that you have to watch the ABC News clip (to the very end) attached to the written story to find out where they are from and that they may not even be US citizens. Amazing how skittish the media is about reporting immigrant wrong-doing.
By the way, we have taken refugees from the former Yugoslavia (thousands of them!) so they could indeed be refugees.
CHICAGO (AP) — A father, mother and daughter from a posh Chicago suburb stole $7 million in merchandise during a decadelong shoplifting spree — traveling to stores nationwide and targeting dolls, toys, cosmetics and other valuables — according to a federal complaint released Wednesday.
The three were arrested earlier this week at their $1.3 million Northbrook home after returning from a three-day trip through Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, where authorities say they shoplifted from stores. Working in tandem, the family traveled from their Chicago-area residence to hit businesses in multiple states, including Maryland, Tennessee and Florida, according to the 20-page complaint.
Branko Bogdanov, 58, Lela Bogdanov, 52, and their 34-year-old daughter, Julia Bogdanov, are charged with one count each of interstate transportation of stolen property.
[….]
Lela Bogdanov frequently donned a long black skirt with large compartments sewn on the inside during the alleged shoplifting binges and was caught on surveillance cameras leaving some stores with her skirt looking notably fuller than when she entered, the complaint says.
Standing in orange jail clothes Wednesday in federal court, Lela Bogdanov wiped away tears as U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Mason explained her rights. She followed the proceedings through a Romani interpreter.
The Chicago Tribune story (which has the photo) does mention their ethnicity.
Update: Here is the criminal complaint.