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Crime

Rico Suave Bandit Stalks Rich, Foreign & Famous

11:40 AM PST on March 11, 2010

A man police are calling the "Rico Suave Bandit" has LA's billionaires and high society crowd on edge. His smooth ways and charm give him access to enclaves like the Four Seasons Hotel, where last weekend he stole anywhere from "millions" to $45,000 in jewels from Florida sugar baron Pepe Fanjul by pretending to be an employee of the hotel.

This fits in somewhat with his modus operandi, which appears to be to target foreigners who carry jewelery in hotels or other "safe" places. To wit, "Rico Suave" is also suspected of robbing the Staples Center locker room when an Israeli basketball team was in town for an exhibition game, as well as a downtown hotel room used by Chivas Mexico.

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