Burglars targeting Asian business owners at their private homes
Apr 5, 2023, 10:09 AM
(Photo from KIRO 7)
(Photo from KIRO 7)
An alert to Asian business owners.
Surveillance video shows a gang of burglars targeting them at their personal homes.
KIRO 7 first reported last month that gang of thieves breaking into homes along trails all along the Interstate 5 corridor.
Now we are learning the burglars are expanding their reach, targeting mostly Asian residents, from Kent to Bellingham.
This even has police departments alarmed. So much so, that Bellingham police are deploying just about every tool to locate these residents and alert them.
They have at least two things in common: they are Asian business owners and they live near trails.
The owner of Wanida Thai Cuisine is grateful he managed to survive the worldwide pandemic that forced his and other restaurants to close for a time.
Now there’s a new worry.
Asian owners of restaurants and nail salons in Bellingham are being targeted by burglars at their homes.
“No, not right now,” said Alex Teachaakarakasem, Bellingham restaurant owner. “This my first time that I hear it from the police.”
It was news to him, delivered in an email by Bellingham police.
His reaction? “Seem unsecure now.”
Bellingham police believe the burglars caught on surveillance video some 95 miles away in Sammamish are responsible for several break-ins here, too. Indeed, they are prime suspects in similar burglaries all along the I-5 corridor from Kent, north.
And most of the targets are the private homes of Asian business owners.
Lt. Claudia Murphy, head of special operations for Bellingham police, concedes they don’t know how the crooks are finding the business owners’ private residences.
“If we knew that, we would have caught them by now,” said Lt. Murphy. “So, that is part of the investigation that has to occur to determine what it is they’re doing and how they’re going about doing it. My assumption is they do their research.”
According to the email being sent to business owners, the burglaries are happening near trails mostly in the Barkley and Fruitland Drive neighborhoods.
Since the crooks are after money and precious jewels, Bellingham police say there are things these owners can do to protect themselves.
These burglaries are happening mostly between 5 and 9 p.m., when many of these business owners are still at work.
So, police are recommending they install timers so that lights come on even when they are not at home.
Bellevue police told KIRO 7 Tuesday they stepped up patrols in the Lakemont neighborhood where these burglaries were happening.
And the burglaries have stopped.
