Burglaries hit Douglas County homes of Asian business owners, sheriff’s office says – Douglas County News Press

A string of burglaries at the homes of Asian business owners who live in Douglas County has caused losses of roughly $1 million this year, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

The burglars strike while the victims are at work, often outside of the county, according to the office.

“We have seen over 10 occurrences in 2024, including five in the last month and a half,” the sheriff’s office told Colorado Community Media in a mid-November statement.

In one case, the same residence was burglarized twice, but the others were hit once, according to the office.

Other burglaries occur, such as when a garage gets broken into or someone opens a back door, said Deputy Cocha Heyden, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. But “the ones that fit this profile, or fit this technique, fit targeting business owners,” are burglaries reported that have Asian victims, Heyden said.

“I have no idea if there’s any other victims out there from any other backgrounds from any other businesses that haven’t reported to us,” Heyden said, adding: “The ones that have been reported to us, they all (have) Asian victims.”

The victims aren’t associated with just one type of business, Heyden said. 

“We cannot say they are targeting Asian business owners; all we can say is that is who has reported the crimes to us,” Heyden said.

The suspects may employ “sophisticated tactics” to track their victim’s activity before the burglary by placing trackers on their vehicles or placing hidden cameras in their yards to determine when the homes are unoccupied, according to the office.

They may also use Wi-Fi jammers to disable security cameras and alarm systems during the burglary, disabling doorbell cameras and Wi-Fi of neighboring homes, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Some cables to the “home’s alarm system and/or cameras” have also been cut, the release added.

In one case, the victim’s vehicle tires were slashed at work, according to the office.

Victims discovered their homes were ransacked, according to the office. Cash, jewelry and high-end handbags were the primary targets.

Heyden spoke of burglaries reported in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction — the “unincorporated” areas outside of city and town boundaries. The jurisdiction also includes Larkspur and Castle Pines.

“We just really encourage people — it doesn’t matter what race or background you’re from — if you own a business, there’s got to be ways to safeguard your property,” Heyden said.

The sheriff’s office issued some crime prevention tips:

• Secure valuables. Don’t keep large amounts of cash at home. Lock up expensive jewelry and other valuables in a safe that is secured to a shelf, wall or floor, preventing it from being carried out along with the contents.

• Be vigilant and report suspicious behavior in your neighborhood, especially around the homes of business owners. Suspects commonly conduct “pre-surveillance” days before the actual burglary, according to the office.

• Business owners should routinely inspect their yards and vehicles for hidden tracking devices and cameras. The office suggests a thorough search of places like bushes and trees.

“The tracking devices (would be) on the exterior of the vehicle — including underneath — where somebody would be able to reach them if they were unable to get into the vehicle’s cab,” the office said in a statement.

To report suspicious activity, the public can call the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 303-660-7505.

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