The 'Spider Girls' return
The week's news at a glance.
Santiago, Chile
Two members of Chile's "Spider Girls" burglary gang were caught in the act last week, the latest chapter in a crime spree that became a national phenomenon. The gang of teenagers is known for using ropes to scale the walls of high-rise buildings and break into luxury apartments. "We did it because we wanted money in our pockets," said a former gang member. "We like to buy new clothes." Authorities thought they had seen the last of the gang. Several were arrested and convicted last year, and sentenced to reform school because they were minors. But at least one returned to a life of crime after her release, and recruited another member; those two were arrested last week climbing up a building. Both were described by police as "heavily pregnant."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions