BELLEVUE, Wash. — Police departments are warning the public as they investigate more than a dozen brazen jewelry thefts in Bellevue and Redmond.
"This is wrong and this shouldn't be happening,” Jaskaran Singh said. “And I'm just in shock."
Several people have been targeted by thieves in the area.
"People are scared, that I can assure you,” Singh said. “I don't want them to be scared. I want them to be free."
Singh is a Bellevue resident. He said many consider him an East Indian community leader people can reach out to.
"They're worried," Singh said. "They're talking to each other. They can't even walk freely, my wife and my mom said we're always watching if a car is stopping. They have to be careful, and my kids playing out on the street, I'm worried about them."
According to the Redmond Police Department (RPD) there have been 14 thefts in the city. The thieves use different distractions to steal jewelry from their victims, sometimes using force. RPD believes they are part of a larger organized crime group, specifically targeting older Asian Indian community members.
"Elderly couples are scared and they don't go out," Singh said.
Bellevue police are investigating similar crimes but are not connecting them at this point and are not saying these crimes are specifically targeting the Asian community. Within an hour timespan on Tuesday, three women approached their victims at three different locations.
"One of the victims was forcibly held down,” said Drew Anderson, Bellevue Police Department public information officer. “Two suspects held the victim. So, it allowed the third suspect to yank the jewelry from them."
Bellevue police are investigating two other similar crimes in June. No arrests have been made.
For the time being police recommend:
- Traveling in groups
- Not approaching any unknown vehicles
- Using caution and distance when talking with a stranger
- Staying vigilant and aware of your surroundings
"They should come out," Singh said. "They should report. That's the thing we need."