Nearly a million dollars in cash and personal property have been stolen from the homes of Asian Americans who own Chinese food restaurants in Pennsylvania, according to a press release from the State Police.
The crimes appear to have been carried out by a team, with one person acting as lookout, one or two people entering the home, and one person waiting in the getaway vehicle. Investigators noted that the burglars usually disguise themselves, sometimes posing as landscapers or wearing yellow traffic vests.
“While many of these crimes occurred in the northeastern part of the state, similar burglaries have been reported across the commonwealth,” said Colonel Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “We want business owners to be aware of this trend and take preventive measures.”
Eight people who allegedly ran a residential burglary ring targeting homes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware, were indicted last year by federal prosecutors. That group also typically targeted business owners of Asian family-owned restaurants.
