Somerset prosecutor raises alert of regional trend
Somerset County law enforcement authorities say they are seeing a trend in residential burglaries in the county.
Residential burglars have targeted a disproportionately high number of homes of Asian Indian and other Asian ethnic groups, authorities said. The development is evident in Union, Middlesex and Morris counties, as well as in other states, they said.
Law enforcement officers point out, that in many instances, the victims of these residences possess high-quality gold jewelry with religious and cultural importance.
Intelligence gathered by investigators indicates that some potential burglars will determine the locations of Asian Indian and other Asian community clusters and then target those areas for residential burglaries. Typically, these crews look to avoid encounters with any homeowners. The goal is to avoid confrontation and get away undetected.
Master bedroom and master bedroom closets are primary locations in which burglars look for valuables, so police advise putting valuables in other places.
Law enforcement in Somerset County has a burglary task force of detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office and police officers and detectives from municipal departments. A call from a concerned citizen to law enforcement is not bothersome; indeed, with the public’s assistance, burglaries can be prevented from the outset.

