Why are the Marked Merk Mercenaries alright with harassing caravans in the Foothills?

[CboyC95]

This is something we've not got a proper explanation in game. You even encounters a few of their members - Lusamine, Janeen, and Boomer in Hawkthorne and there is not even a dialogue option to ask they are resorting to banditry nor do they ever seem to recall ever encountering the player character in the Foothills, at least to my knowledge.