It's beloved by the world's most fashionable women, but the Birkin bag is gaining a more unsavoury claim to fame.

The leather handbags, made by Hermes, have become the favourite target of burglars in Los Angeles. South American gangs are breaking into mansions in wealthy areas to steal the bags, which can cost up to $100,000 (£80,000).

The criminals then pass on the stolen goods to fraudsters who use legitimate online sites to sell them, the LA Times reported.

Captain Francis Boateng of the LAPD said: 'Where the homes are worth a lot of money, the assumption is there will be high-end handbags'. 

Last year, a resident of the Los Angeles enclave where film director Steven Spielberg has a home had her Birkin stolen by intruders.

The Birkin bag is gaining a more unsavoury claim to fame - Pictured: Heidi Klum in Los Angeles

The leather handbags, made by Hermes, have become the favourite target of burglars in Los Angeles - Pictured: Lady Gaga leaving her hotel in London

South American gangs are breaking into mansions in wealthy areas to steal the bags, which can cost up to $100,000 (£80,000) - Pictured: Karlie Kloss takes a walk in Soho, NYC

The woman, who has not been named, said surveillance video showed two thieves ignoring expensive electrical items and heading straight for a wardrobe filled with designer accessories. 

She described the intruders as acting like 'trained assassins' after they searched through receipts to prove the authenticity of the bags.

READ MORE: The ultimate It Bag: How a chance meeting with Jane Birkin on a plane created the Hermes legend

The Birkin bag, which the woman said was worth $37,000 (£30,000), was listed for sale on a Dallas-based resale site for $121,245 (£97,000). 

Last November, LA resident Karla Sunceri was arrested after police found 50 designer bags during a raid at her home. She has been charged with receiving stolen property.

The handbags, which are named after the late English actress Jane Birkin, have become the ultimate symbol of exclusivity, regularly seen on the arms of Kate Moss, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez.

Such is their desirability, Hermes was accused of exploiting customers desperate to bag one of the designer purses in a class-action lawsuit launched by two disgruntled shoppers.

Californians Tina Cavalleri and Mark Glinoga have accused the French fashion brand of allowing the bags to be sold only to 'worthy' customers.

They allege that shoppers are encouraged to purchase other expensive items from the brand in order to gain the favour of sales associates who control access to the Birkin bags.

In the ongoing lawsuit, they claim the company is 'exploiting' the demand for the Birkin to boost sales of less popular items.

The high price tag of the bag is said to be due to its artisan nature, with each one taking 18 hours to craft. Exclusive clientele also receive a tag with the year the bag was made on it, as well as the name of its designer.

Some say the Birkin bag is a 'better investment than gold' or 'like buying a Picasso' as their price dramatically grows over time due to high demand. 

The most expensive Birkin ever sold was the 'Diamond Himalaya' which fetched $450,000 (£360,000) in 2022.