Status

If one cannot afford a set of LV luggage - one can at least spend hours spray painting his vehicle so that it resembles a luxury brand. (Even if the car cannot be driven and one gets hit with a parking ticket)
I guess 5-0 wasn't as impressed with the spray painted rims and tires as much as his neighbors were.

But this nothing new nor is it isolated to one race, culture or economic level.

 It seems that most of the families featured on any of the shows in the Real Housewives/Basketball Wives/Love and Hip Hop series are either broke or headed that way just so that they can fake-da-funk and pretend that they are better than those surrounding them.
It seems that few are willing to do the work required to make ones life better - most just want to look as though their life is better than their peer group.
Most are just renting fame and fortune but very few ever have the option to buy (let alone maintain) such a lifestyle.

It seems that in today's world - appearance is everything.
Even if one must steal from investors, friends and family just to look as though one is prosperous.