Asian American and Pacific Islander families are being urged to stay alert—especially when shopping at markets such as H Mart—as police nationwide warn that organized burglary crews have been identifying victims at Asian grocery stores before targeting their homes.
Investigators in several states, including Oregon, Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, say burglars have watched shoppers in parking lots, followed those who appear to own or work at Asian businesses, and traced their home addresses through public records. Officers say the groups often spend days conducting surveillance before breaking in during the day, when they know the residents are at work.
The break-ins have shaken Asian immigrant communities. In Eugene, Oregon, police have linked 22 targeted burglaries since early 2024 to losses of about $1.7 million. One of the victims, a longtime grocery store owner, returned home with his wife to find their house ransacked and their life savings gone. Many families in the area say they now vary their routines, avoid keeping valuables at home or feel uneasy even during ordinary errands.
Police say the burglary crews use increasingly sophisticated tactics, including hidden cameras, disguises and devices that can disable wireless alarms. In some cases, there have been arrests and successful prosecutions at the state and federal levels.
Authorities say these burglars are acting on old stereotypes that Asian families keep lots of cash at home—not on anything actually proven or true.
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