The gangs across the US often target Indian and other Asian households due to the misconception that they possess significant amounts of jewelry and cash.
In the latest development, a group of 16 individuals has been arrested and charged with a year-long robbery spree across four East Coast US states. Federal officials accuse them of engaging in armed robberies designed to terrorize and overwhelm South Asian jewelers’ store owners and employees. Many of the targeted businesses are family-owned.
The items stolen in these robberies are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. The charges involve nine jewelry shops located from the New York suburb of Jersey City in New Jersey to Florida. These businesses are described as “South Asian,” with at least four confirmed to be run by individuals of Indian origin.
Court documents reveal that the gang, wearing dark clothing, face coverings, and gloves and armed with firearms, targeted South Asian jewelers. They allegedly carjacked or stole vehicles to carry out these robberies.
Although the gang members face a total of 19 charges, none of them are related to racial bias or hate, despite their targeting of South Asians.
