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Romanian mobsters are touring the nation and concentrating on spiritual establishments in brazen daylight robberies, police suspect. In April and Might, they hit two Buddhist temples, two mosques and one Hindu temple within the Washington, D.C., space, based on authorities.
Montgomery (Maryland) County Police suspect that the Romanian Organized Crime Group, who name themselves the ROMAs, focused seven related locations in 2023, with police saying they made arrests in about half of the incidents, Fox 5 DC reported.
Since arresting group members Alex Dumitru, 23, and Natalian Dumitru, 18, in reference to two of the burglaries final month, Montgomery County Police Lieutenant Andrew Suh advised Fox Information Digital that no extra homes of worship or residences related to temples or church buildings had been focused within the space.
However Suh stated that the worldwide group, which has a presence nationwide, has operated within the D.C. space for a couple of decade and for his whole profession with the division — and that quelling its exercise is like “reducing the heads of a hydra.”
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Surveillance footage from the Wat Thai Buddhist Temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, exhibits a gaggle of thieves openly stroll right into a Buddhist monk’s dwelling whereas a funeral service takes place close by and steal $20,000 in donations from a secure. (Fox 5 DC)
Proof discovered within the brothers’ properties related them to 2 of the crimes, the division wrote in a press launch. Each had been arrested on first-degree housebreaking prices and bailed out with $10,000 private bonds.
Surveillance video from the Wat Thai Buddhist Temple in Silver Spring final month exhibits members of the crew openly strolling inside whereas dozens are inside for a funeral luncheon. The thieves did not take off their sneakers on the door within the surveillance footage, making it considerably obvious that they weren’t members.
The suspects then snuck into resident monk Ruangrit Thaithae’s residence and allegedly snatched $20,000 in donations from a secure within the span of 20 minutes, based on native reviews. The monk was reportedly planning to deposit the cash from temple members the following day.
Whereas one suspect distracted a temple member, the others are accused of creating off with the secure and different precious objects.
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“I wish to inform them that even when the legislation enforcement cannot catch them, the karma will,” Ruangrit Thaithae, referred to as Monk Jack, advised Fox 5 DC. “In Buddhism, we consider in karma. Karma will catch them quickly.” (Fox 5 DC)
“I wish to inform them that even when the legislation enforcement cannot catch them, the karma will,” Thaithae, referred to as Monk Jack, advised the outlet. “In Buddhism, we consider in karma. Karma will catch them quickly.”
“I feel they’re nonetheless younger, so in the event that they cease doing this stuff and do the great issues for his or her life, for his or her household and for folks, they are going to be good,” Thaithae stated. “They nonetheless have time. They could be a good particular person. For the previous, that is OK, however sooner or later, in the event that they cease and do good issues, as a result of they’re making folks undergo.”
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Natalian Dumitru, 18, and his brother Alex Dumitru, 23, had been charged with first-degree housebreaking in two of the 5 heists on temples and different locations of worship. (Montgomery County Police Division)
Though the group focused spiritual hubs, Suh stated that his division did not take into account these burglaries hate crimes. As an alternative, they had been crimes of alternative.
“This group is mostly simply centered on acquiring financial rewards,” Suh stated. “They do not have a political motivation or a stance — they’re simply centered on {dollars}.”
Though the group has gone quiet because the current arrests of its members, Suh stated that it had many branches, and that in all chance, some fraud operations had been nonetheless happening.
One other temple in Accokeek, Maryland, despatched Fox 5 surveillance stills of a gaggle of males breaking in round mid-March. Though the lads broken the door, the monks caught on to what was occurring and scared them off.
Three suspects are pictured on safety footage offered by one of many victimized Montgomery County, Maryland, spiritual establishments to Fox 5 DC. (Fox 5 DC)
“Homes of worship are upset as a result of typically they’re utilizing their funds to assist the group, proper? They’re working meals drives and meals pantries, little one assist applications, supporting the aged,” Montgomery County religion chief Kate Probability advised Fox 5. “And sometimes of us see them as simple targets as a result of they’re simply kind-hearted people who typically do not report these kinds of incidents.”
Probability stated spiritual hubs ought to apply for an space grant that might give them as much as $20,000 for safety upgrades.
Chris Swecker, who served 24 years as an FBI particular agent and was the previous assistant director of the FBI, stated that he’d by no means seen organized criminals goal homes of worship in his profession. Nonetheless, he was all too aware of the Romanian Organized Crime Group, calling them “hit-and-run artists.”
Wat Thai Washington, D.C., a Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Fox 5 DC)
“As you may see, they’re fairly brazen — they know the place to go to search out worth they usually’re preying on people who find themselves peaceable and docile,” Swecker advised Fox Information Digital. “They do not anticipate folks to do unhealthy issues and go away their gold objects in plain view which are simple to entry. The congregation would by no means take into consideration taking these issues, however the ROMA know they will do it.”
“They don’t seem to be huge, violent extortionists getting violent retribution,” Swecker defined. “They’re sensible sufficient to know property crime will not get them huge time and will not garner as a lot federal consideration.”
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The Romanian Mafia has footholds all through the U.S. Earlier this 12 months, California prosecutors warned that members had been panhandling outdoors big-box shops, then stealing bank card data utilizing skimmers at self-checkouts contained in the shops.
Swecker famous that taking down organized crime was as soon as a “staple” of the FBI, and {that a} transient group “shifting from jurisdiction to jurisdiction” can be a “good factor for the FBI to pursue.”
However he stated it appeared just like the bureau had “type of abdicated. I by no means hear about RICO arrests, huge takedowns.”
“You simply see a disjointed native effort,” Swecker added. “They do their finest to coordinate between jurisdictions, however with out bringing within the feds, it is practically not possible.”
