On January 11th, the Washington Post broke the story about a multimillion-dollar international criminal operation originating in South America. The alleged burglars, called “crime tourists” by law enforcement, are using a visa waiver program to expedite entry into the United States, or are entering illegally, and traveling across the country stealing valuables and committing other crimes. Many of those arrested come from Columbia or Chile, typically operating in cells of two to eight members. 

Because their alleged crimes are usually nonviolent and involve property, arrested burglary suspects are often released on bond or given a low bail, skipping town to resume their activities in a new location. 

Anyone may be a target. However, the houses of Middle Eastern and Asian families in the Washington area are especially attractive to these burglars because of a perceived higher likelihood of finding cash, jewelry, or other luxury goods kept at home.

One such theft was the Great Falls residence of a South Asian family that was broken into in February 2019 between 5:30 and 10:30 pm. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of jewelry and a large safe were stolen.

While “crime tourist” thefts are a recent trend, Great Falls is no stranger to burglaries committed by those outside the area. However, the community has also had its share of criminals who lived among us, including the infamous Bernard C. Welch, Jr. This Great Falls resident, who was nicknamed the “Silver Burglar,” the “Ghost Burglar,” and the “Standard Time Rapist” by law enforcement, was considered one of the most prolific housebreakers of modern times. He stole goods valued at millions of dollars and preferred committing his break-ins during the longer nights of winter.

Welch’s downfall came in December 1980 after shooting Washington cardiologist Michael Halberstam. Halberstam encountered Welch on the street while driving himself to the hospital and was able to run him down with his car. An injured Welch was found hiding and was arrested by the police; Halberstam died later that night at Sibley Hospital. Welch was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 143 years in prison where he died in 1998. Click here for more details about the crime and Welch’s life in Great Falls . 

So, what should you know about burglaries and how to protect your home and property?

While darkness can provide cover for a thief, most burglaries occur during the day between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., when most people are at work or school. Furthermore, a 1993-2010 study by the Bureau of Justice revealed that burglaries typically increase during summer months when the weather is warm. However, it is thought that Covid may have affected this pattern because more people are working and studying at home.

For more information on how to protect your home and property see A Guide for Protecting Your Home and Property by the Fairfax County Police Department. 

Residents who are interested in learning more about crime that has occurred in Great Falls can look at the SpotCrime map or the CityProtect website, where you can also sign up for incident updates.