In the last couple of years certain reality TV shows have tried to downplay or play-upon the classic stereotypes associated with gypsies. In programs such as “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding,” and “American Gypsies” we see families that marry off their daughters young, dress in big baggy clothes and claim psychic female members. Some of the families live in trailers, fitting the stereotypical nomadic lifestyle, while a few inhabit traditional homes. But at least none of them hoard gold, make off with children and live a general life of thievery. Those traits are apparently reserved for the real world.

A gypsy family from Chicago was recently arrested near Los Angeles for running an organized theft ring in which it allegedly stole more than $3 million in merchandise. The suspects, two men and two women who describe themselves as a Polish gypsy family, are accused of commercial burglary at more than 18 locations around Los Angeles and Orange County, but are also alleged to have organized a retail theft ring that hit stores in Colorado, Washington and Florida. The four typically worked together to steal merchandise.

They’re entering these businesses. A couple of them are distracting or putting some kind of barrier between the primary person taking the items and the employee at the store,” Torrance, Calif. police Sgt. Robert Watt told KTLA. “They’re concealing hard drives on their person, and they’re leaving the store without paying for anything.”

According to KTLA, the men would select the merchandise to be stolen and maneuver it into a preferred position, and then the women would conceal it underneath over-sized dresses and overcoats.

No! Not gypsies in big dresses and coats. Come on, that’s just too easy. And they were traveling around the country, too? Next they’re gonna tell us they were in a caravan of trailers.

At least the merchandise wasn’t gold. Apparently their preferred items were electronic in nature, specifically hard drives. After stealing the electronics, the group would ship the merchandise back to Chicago so it could be sold. Apparently they were trying to raise money to pay off a $2 million family debt. At the time of their arrest, more than $20,000 in electronics was seized.

When they were finally busted, the group had flown into the LA-area from Chicago for a court appearance in Santa Monica related to an earlier theft arrest. So apparently they weren’t real quick learners. Or maybe their crystal ball told them they wouldn’t get caught.