West
Romanian organized crime group targeting places of worship: police
Romanian mobsters are traveling the country and targeting religious institutions in brazen daylight robberies, police suspect. In April and May, they hit two Buddhist temples, two mosques and one Hindu temple in the Washington, D.C., area, according to authorities.
Montgomery (Maryland) County Police suspect that the Romanian Organized Crime Group, who call themselves the ROMAs, targeted seven similar places 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 connection with two of the burglaries last month, Montgomery County Police Lieutenant Andrew Suh told Fox News Digital that no more houses of worship or residences connected to temples or churches had been targeted in the area.
But Suh said that the international group, which has a presence nationwide, has operated in the D.C. area for about a decade and for his entire career with the department — and that quelling its activity is like “cutting the heads of a hydra.”
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Surveillance footage from the Wat Thai Buddhist Temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, shows a group of thieves brazenly walk into a Buddhist monk’s home while a funeral service takes place nearby and steal $20,000 in donations from a safe. (Fox 5 DC)
Evidence found in the brothers’ homes connected them to two of the crimes, the department wrote in a press release. Both were arrested on first-degree burglary charges and bailed out with $10,000 personal bonds.
Surveillance video from the Wat Thai Buddhist Temple in Silver Spring last month shows members of the crew brazenly walking inside while dozens are inside for a funeral luncheon. The thieves didn’t take off their shoes at the door in the surveillance footage, making it somewhat apparent 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 safe in the span of 20 minutes, according to local reports. The monk was reportedly planning to deposit the money from temple members the next day.
While one suspect distracted a temple member, the others are accused of making off with the safe and other valuable items.
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“I would like to tell them that even if the law enforcement can’t catch them, the karma will,” Ruangrit Thaithae, known as Monk Jack, told Fox 5 DC. “In Buddhism, we believe in karma. Karma will catch them soon.” (Fox 5 DC)
“I would like to tell them that even if the law enforcement can’t catch them, the karma will,” Thaithae, known as Monk Jack, told the outlet. “In Buddhism, we believe in karma. Karma will catch them soon.”
“I think they’re still young, so if they stop doing these things and do the good things for their life, for their family and for people, they will be good,” Thaithae said. “They still have time. They can be a good person. For the past, that’s OK, but in the future, if they stop and do good things, because they are making people suffer.”
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Natalian Dumitru, 18, and his brother Alex Dumitru, 23, were charged with first-degree burglary in two of the five heists on temples and other places of worship. (Montgomery County Police Department)
Although the group targeted religious hubs, Suh said that his department didn’t consider these burglaries hate crimes. Instead, they were crimes of opportunity.
“This organization is generally just focused on obtaining monetary rewards,” Suh said. “They don’t have a political motivation or a stance — they’re just focused on dollars.”
Although the group has gone quiet since the recent arrests of its members, Suh said that it had many branches, and that in all likelihood, some fraud operations were still taking place.
Another temple in Accokeek, Maryland, sent Fox 5 surveillance stills of a group of men breaking in around mid-March. Although the men damaged the door, the monks caught on to what was happening and scared them off.
Three suspects are pictured on security footage provided by one of the victimized Montgomery County, Maryland, religious institutions to Fox 5 DC. (Fox 5 DC)
“Houses of worship are upset because often they’re using their funds to help the community, right? They’re running food drives and food pantries, child support programs, supporting the elderly,” Montgomery County faith leader Kate Chance told Fox 5. “And often folks see them as easy targets because they’re just kind-hearted individuals who often don’t report these sorts of incidents.”
Chance said religious hubs should apply for an area grant that would give them up to $20,000 for security upgrades.
Chris Swecker, who served 24 years as an FBI special agent and was the former assistant director of the FBI, said that he’d never seen organized criminals target houses of worship in his career. However, he was all too familiar with 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 can see, they’re pretty brazen — they know where to go to find value and they’re preying on people who are peaceful and docile,” Swecker told Fox News Digital. “They don’t expect people to do bad things and leave their gold objects in plain view that are easy to access. The congregation would never think about taking those things, but the ROMA know they can do it.”
“They’re not big, violent extortionists getting violent retribution,” Swecker explained. “They’re smart enough to know property crime won’t get them big time and won’t garner as much federal attention.”
The Romanian Mafia has footholds throughout the U.S. Earlier this year, California prosecutors warned that members were panhandling outside big-box stores, then stealing credit card information using skimmers at self-checkouts inside the stores.
Swecker noted that taking down organized crime was once a “staple” of the FBI, and that a transient group “moving from jurisdiction to jurisdiction” would be a “perfect thing for the FBI to pursue.”
But he said it seemed like the bureau had “sort of abdicated. I never hear about RICO arrests, big takedowns.”
“You just see a disjointed local effort,” Swecker added. “They do their best to coordinate between jurisdictions, but without bringing in the feds, it’s nearly impossible.”
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San Francisco, CA
After attempts to report vandalism, San Francisco homeowner gets graffiti notice from city
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A San Francisco man says months of reporting graffiti and vandalism in his Mission District neighborhood yielded little response from the city – until he received a notice blaming him for a small graffiti tag on a fire hydrant connected to his home.
Michael, who asked that his last name not be used, told ABC7 Eyewitness News that he has spent the past year alerting the city to vandalism near his home. He said he has called 311, contacted San Francisco police, emailed city leaders and even tweeted Mayor Daniel Lurie, but mostly received automated or generic replies.
“Obviously, we would have taken care of it had we noticed. But it’s like this tiny little thing,” Michael said, referring to the graffiti notice issued by the city.
The notice came from the San Francisco Department of Public Works, citing graffiti on a fire hydrant connected to his property. Michael said receiving it felt insulting after repeated attempts to get help addressing larger issues in the neighborhood.
“We feel like had those guys responded a little bit faster or like actually taking our emails seriously. Then this wouldn’t be there,” he said.
MORE: Oakland Chinatown businesses say they’re getting fined thousands for graffiti on their own property
Michael said what upset him most was what he saw as unequal accountability.
“I was particularly upset about is that they’re pointing out our problems without resolving theirs first. Like, don’t be hypocritical. Yeah,” he said.
In response to ABC7’s inquiry, the Department of Public Works provided the following statement in part:
“In this case, Public Works received a complaint about graffiti on the property and by law we were compelled to respond. We issued the property owner a corrective notice – not a citation – for a small graffiti tag, with 30 days to remove it.”
Michael acknowledged that he is aware of the city’s graffiti abatement program but said he believes the root issue goes beyond cleanup.
MORE: Community rallies to restore new 50-foot-long mural vandalized after SF’s Great Highway closure
“Realistically, like they have to deal with the drug crisis. That’s the core issue. Like it’s there’s nothing that’s more important in my opinion,” he said.
Walking through nearby blocks, Michael pointed out remnants of encampments and alleged drug dealing sites. He said the issue is personal, adding that his own family has struggled with substance abuse.
“If you deal with the people who are actively dealing and selling drugs on our street, then everything will go away,” he said.
As he noted a boarded-up property across the street that he said has attracted squatters, a neighbor agreed the situation has become unmanageable.
Michael said he supports Mayor Lurie and the administration’s approach overall but worries some neighborhoods are being overlooked.
“We are all paying property taxes. We are all contributing to the city. We all deserve the same level of respect and like I think cleanliness and just like the same level of service from the city and it just seems like they’re just, I don’t know, like relegating the problem into a one area,” he said.
Full statement from Department of Public Works:
“We hear this resident’s frustration, and we want to be clear: Our first path is to work with property owners, not against them.
In this case, Public Works received a complaint about graffiti on the property and by law we were compelled to respond.
We issued the property owner a corrective notice – not a citation – for a small graffiti tag, with 30 days to remove it. That’s intentional. We build in that window specifically to give property owners time and flexibility to address the violation. We also provide them contact information should they have any questions.
Property owners who are repeatedly targeted with graffiti vandalism can cite that as a hardship and we will take it into account. In this case, Public Works has not received an email or call from this property owner.
We also want to note that this complaint was submitted through Solve SF, a new AI-powered platform that allows the public to report issues of concern. Launched in January, the third-party platform provides people with another option in addition to the City’s 311 customer service operation to flag concerns. We encourage residents to report graffiti tags to keep our city clean and free of blight. It is important to remove tags quickly to deter more tags.
By City code, graffiti removal on private property is the responsibility of the property owner but there is an exception. San Francisco Public Works operates a Graffiti Abatement Opt-In Pilot Program that allows eligible property owners in commercial corridors to have graffiti removed from their property at no cost to them. Unfortunately, this particular property is not eligible for the opt- in program because it does not fall into the eligibility map.
For property owners experiencing repeated tagging, we recommend a few practical steps in addition to opting into our program: installing motion-activated lighting and security cameras, which can deter vandalism and support enforcement efforts.
Property owners on commercial corridors can learn more and submit an interest form on our website https://sfpublicworks.org/services/graffiti-opt-in
We want to resolve this quickly and we’re committed to working with this resident to do so.”
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Denver, CO
Avalanche vs. Wild NHL playoff schedule
The Colorado Avalanche will face the Minnesota Wild in the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here’s the schedule and how to watch each game as the Avs continue their 2026 playoff run starting Sunday at Ball Arena.
Avs vs. Wild playoff schedule
Game 1: 7 p.m. Sunday, May 3, Minnesota at Colorado, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX
Game 2: TBD, Minnesota at Colorado
Game 3: TBD, Colorado at Minnesota
Game 4: TBD, Colorado at Minnesota
Game 5*: TBD, Minnesota at Colorado
Game 6*: TBD, Colorado at Minnesota
Game 7*: TBD, Minnesota at Colorado
*If necessary
Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.
Seattle, WA
Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders FC: TV channel, live stream, and kick-off time | Goal.com US
Today’s game between Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders FC will kick-off at May 2, 2026, 2:30 PM.
The TV channel and live stream options for Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders FC are listed below. This MLS fixture is available exclusively on Apple TV, which holds the rights to every regular-season match, playoff game, and Leagues Cup fixture in 2026. If you already subscribe to Apple TV, you have full access at no extra cost – no separate pass required. You can stream on any device running the Apple TV app, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, and mobile devices.
Sporting Kansas City host Seattle Sounders FC at Sporting Park in Kansas City in a Major League Soccer Western Conference fixture that could not arrive at a more contrasting moment for the two clubs.
Sporting are in the grip of a serious slump. Five consecutive defeats across all competitions have left them anchored near the foot of the Western Conference, and the numbers make for grim reading. They have conceded ten goals in their last three MLS matches alone, with a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Chicago Fire FC last weekend the latest low point.
Seattle, meanwhile, arrive in Kansas City with momentum behind them. Three wins from their last four outings across all competitions point to a side that has found its rhythm, and their 2-1 victory over FC Dallas last weekend kept them firmly in the hunt for a top-four seed in the West.
The Sounders have also been managing CONCACAF Champions Cup commitments alongside their MLS schedule, which adds context to any minor inconsistencies in form. Brian Schmetzer’s side have handled the fixture congestion well enough, and they head to Kansas City as the form team by some distance.
For Sporting, this is a match that demands a response. The club has not won in MLS since late March, and the gap between them and the playoff positions is growing with each passing week. Home advantage at Sporting Park offers some comfort, but the crowd will need a performance to match the urgency of their situation.
Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders FC live, including TV channel details, live stream options, and kick-off time.
How to watch Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders FC with VPN
If you are travelling abroad or just want to access your usual streaming services from a different part of the world, you may run into geo-restrictions. This is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes in handy.
A VPN, such as ExpressVPN, allows you to establish a secure, encrypted connection online. By virtually changing your location to a country where the game is being broadcast, you can bypass blackout restrictions and watch your favourite team live. A step-by-step guide is described later in this article, or you can also check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.
Team news & squads
No confirmed injury or suspension information is currently available for Sporting Kansas City ahead of this fixture, and no projected XI has been released. Updates will be added closer to kick-off as the club provides official confirmation.
Seattle Sounders FC have also not released team news at this stage, with no injuries, suspensions, or probable lineup listed. Check back for the latest squad information before the match.
Form
Sporting Kansas City have lost all five of their last matches across all competitions, recording a W0-D0-L5 run. Their most recent defeat was a 5-0 loss to Chicago Fire FC in MLS on April 26, which followed a 3-0 reverse against Vancouver Whitecaps the previous week. They also lost 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the US Open Cup and fell 1-3 to San Jose Earthquakes in the league. Kansas City conceded 15 goals across these five fixtures and scored just four, with no clean sheets in the sequence.
Seattle Sounders FC have won three of their last five matches across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 2-1 win over FC Dallas in MLS on April 26. Before that, they beat St. Louis City 4-1 in the league and defeated Tigres 3-1 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, though they had lost the first leg of that tie 2-0. Across the five games, Seattle scored ten goals and conceded five.
Head-to-Head Record
The most recent meeting between these sides came on August 25, 2025, when Seattle Sounders FC beat Sporting Kansas City 5-2 in an MLS fixture played at Lumen Field. Across the last five head-to-head matches, Seattle have won three and Sporting have won one, with one further result going in Sporting’s favour on home soil — a 2-1 win in Kansas City in July 2025. The Sounders have generally held the upper hand in this fixture, with the aggregate scoreline across the five games reflecting their dominance.
Standings
In the MLS Western Conference, Seattle Sounders FC currently sit fourth, while Sporting Kansas City are positioned 15th.
Step-by-step VPN guide to watch Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders FC today
NordVPN
- Download & Install: Sign up to ExpressVPN or another reputable VPN service (check out GOAL’s guide here) and download the app on your device.
- Connect to a Server: Open the app and select a server location where the match is being shown (e.g. if you are in the UK but want to watch a US stream, connect to a US server).
- Clear Cache: Sometimes your browser holds onto your old location. Clear your cookies or refresh your browser to ensure the change takes effect.
- Start Streaming: Go to your broadcaster’s website and app and enjoy the game.
How to watch on the Big Screen
Watching on your phone or laptop is fine, but live sports belongs on the big screen. Here is how to get the VPN working on your TV:
- Smart TVs & Fire Stick: Most Android-based TVs and devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast with Google TV have native VPN apps. Simply search for your VPN provider in the app store on your TV, log in, and connect just like you would on your phone.
- Apple TV, Roku & Consoles: These devices often don’t support direct VPN apps. The easiest workaround is to use Smart DNS (usually found in your VPN account settings) or Mirror/Cast the stream from your VPN-connected phone or laptop to your TV.
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