The FBI warned Asian-American entrepreneurs in New Jersey to be vigilant as they are at increased risk of being broken into by sophisticated criminal groups.
Over the past three years, there have been increasing reports of Asian business owners who: been targeted by ‘advanced criminal enterprises’, according to Supervising Special Agent Mike Ratta from the FBI field office in Newark.
Ratta pointed out that numerous criminal groups monitor Asian-American businesses to record their opening and closing routines.
“They can snoop in their cars to determine where they might live, then they would also monitor the home,” Ratta said. New Jersey 101.5† “They would follow them to and from work and other places. Once they set a pattern of life and feel comfortable knowing when people are coming or going, they would formulate a plan to break into the house.”
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“Often they have a lookout inside the company, they also have a lookout outside the home, and then they have individuals in the home committing the break-in,” he added. “They’re watching their targets like law enforcement would, these are sophisticated criminal enterprises, where they’ve determined the best way to reduce their chances of being discovered.”
Ratta said it is important for the FBI to make the information public to warn Asian Americans of the potential harm. He expressed hope that the warning will encourage the community to remain aware of their surroundings.
According to Ratta, Asian Americans are being targeted with the belief that they are not using traditional banks, but are choosing to keep their money hidden in their homes.
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He warned the Asian-American community not to keep money under their mattresses. Instead, he suggested that community members keep their money with banks, install security systems and buy license readers to keep track of the number plate numbers of the cars near their homes.
Ratta then urged individuals to report anything suspicious to their local police.
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Featured image via NBC New York
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