South Plainfield Police Chief James Parker, Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, TV Asia’s H.R. Shah, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey, Chief of County Investigators Gerard McAleer and Old Bridge police Capt. Robert Weiss await questions from attendees at a Nov. 12 forum in Edison on the recent spate of home invasions. KATHY CHANG/STAFF Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey asked for patience and trust from members of the Indian-American community as authorities continue to investigate a series of home invasions.
“We are gathering as much intelligence as we can,” he said, adding that investigators are using interviews and scientific analysis in a coordinated effort with the FBI and state and local police. “Our investigation has no geographic limits. We are doing everything we can, and we are asking you to do the same. If you see something, call 911 and your local police.”
Speaking to local residents who turned out for a Nov. 12 forum hosted by the Indian Business Association at the TV Asia studios in Edison, Carey said police work is a far cry from TV dramas, where a crime is committed, solved and brought to a jury within an hour.
“We are doing what they are doing, though,” he said. “It will take some time.” Carey addressed whether the four recent invasions of homes owned by Indian-American families in Edison, Old Bridge and South Plainfield should be categorized as bias crimes. Once the perpetrators are arrested, he said, authorities will decide whether to add bias charges to “penalties that are quite high” already.
Some have also questioned why authorities have not released descriptions of the suspects. Carey said the release of certain information could hinder the investigation and “tip off the bad guys.”
“Our goal is to catch and stop these people,” he said.
In addition to Carey, the panel of speakers at the forum included Chief of County Investigators Gerard McAleer, Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, Old Bridge Capt. Robert Weiss and South Plainfield Police Chief James Parker. H.R. Shah of TV Asia moderated the forum along with McAleer.
The home invasions took place in Old Bridge on Oct. 20 and 26, South Plainfield on Oct. 28 and Edison on Oct. 30. In each case, two or more masked gunmen forced entry into homes, restrained the residents — including children — and stole cash, electronics and jewelry, according to the prosecutor’s office. The men entered the homes through rear entrances each time.
In response to questions about the police response time in the Edison invasion, Bryan said that incident was unique in that the perpetrators reportedly waited behind the home until one of the residents opened the back door to throw something in the garbage.
After gaining entry, the suspects took all means of communication from the residents. However, Bryan lauded one of the victims, who used a laptop to contact a family member in Pennsylvania. When the information came to Edison police, an officer was on the scene within two minutes, according to Bryan.
All the towns involved have increased patrols in response to the crimes, according to the police chiefs.
Surveillance systems have aided law enforcement in solving crimes, police said. Weiss said an off-the-shelf system can help police in daytime crimes; however, it is harder to use the footage in nighttime burglaries and robberies. Still, any footage is useful, he said. Carey said as long as the video does not have audio, it does not violate privacy laws.
A resident asked the panel if it would be safer to keep some cash in their homes so that — in the event of a robbery — they could hand it over and avoid being “shot.” Parker said it does not matter, and that the important thing is to be safe.
Another audience member asked how police deal with the various dialects spoken in the diverse communities of Middlesex County. Officials said law enforcement has a pool of officers who speak different languages. Weiss said the Old Bridge police use a Verizon program that has people who speak different languages available when needed.
After the event, Indian Business Association President Dhiren Amin thanked Carey for his time and said the forum exemplified how police and community organizations can work together toward positive ends.
“As you can understand, the recent burglaries have left many in our community feeling vulnerable,” he said. “However, the vast majority of South Asian-Americans residing in Middlesex County understand that county and local law enforcement are working diligently to bring these criminals to justice. We pledge our resources to help your office in reaching that goal.”