They are very mobile and they change their identity (probably fake from the start) very quickly. Very true, in addition, they ALL protect each other and they ALL will hide each other from the authorities. They also have a lot of "same names" in each clan which makes it more difficult to get to the perpetrator. Such as 50 "Mike O'Malleys, 30 Dan O'Gradies etc..
That's interesting, about so many of them using the same names.
Here's an article about Johnny Toogood--or whatever his name is--who is Madelyne's husband.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2002/09/25/local.20020925-sbt-MARS-A7-Reports_allege.sto
These people--probably hundreds of them--scam their way around the country, year after year. They avoid having too much heat after them b/c property (not person) crimes seem to dominate their modus operandi. Police don't get all hepped up about extraditing people on things like theft charges, etc. Bond is lower on property crimes--lower, so easier to jump/forfeit.
And then...big laughs ahead...THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES is what might bring a bunch of them down??? One of the laziest, most bloated, most inefficient agencies in (pick a state, any state)?? God definitely has a sense of humor!
It must have taken some serious short-hairs twisting by Madelyne to get her husband to even show up in that court for the custody hearing on the little girl. So that's how you get to these unbelievably canny criminals--just take one of their kids. Brutal--but effective. (More irony: gypsies, a group with definite links to "Irish Travellers", are thought in folklore to "steal children." Now DHR, the monarchs of the child-snatchers, has snatched one of theirs!)