Leaders in the Asian community are asking those who live in Portland to use extra caution in the wake of recent burglaries.
On Friday the Portland Police Department warned that a small group of Hispanic men appear to be targeting and burglarizing the homes of Asian families. Police said the men made contact a day or two before the crime, posing as food deliveries to get inside and look at the home.
After hearing about the recent string of burglaries against Asian households, Theresa Kim, vice president of the Unified Asian Communities of Portland said it’s opening old wounds.
“I was super upset,” she said, especially with the anniversary of the Atlanta shootings of Asian women two years ago, and the already extensive verbal attacks against their community.
One obstacle she worries about is that some in the community are reluctant to report a crime.
“That’s a hurdle we’ve had,” Kim said. “You have to realize a lot of communities come from war-torn countries with trauma. So for them to be able to reach out to the police may be a challenge for them, especially of our older community members with the cultural barriers of language and understanding.”
There is speculation as to why Asian households may be targeted. “There’s so much going on right now,” Kim said. With the recent news of the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, it could be that some are expecting local business owners to withdraw money from the banks and keep money in their homes, she said. “I’ve had community members reach out in the past couple of weeks asking, ‘Should I take my money out of the bank?’ I said, ‘Not necessarily.’ There is a fear.”
As far as Kim had heard, none of the community members burglarized had been injured. The Unified Asian Communities of Portland has not heard directly from victims, or how many households were robbed. “I’m thinking there have been quite a few,” Kim said.
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