Westminster police are warning the public about a growing burglary trend in which small business owners are being targeted at their homes.
“It started a little bit towards the end of last year. We noticed when I was interviewing some victims. They started saying, ‘Hey I own a small business, I’m wondering if this has anything to do with it,’ and then we started putting the pieces together, and then it just evolved even further,” said Detective Adam Lanning with the Westminster Police Department.
Lanning says burglars are targeting small business owners by following them home, placing surveillance cameras at their homes, and studying their victims before finding the perfect time to burglarize their homes.
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“They actually use tracking systems or cameras that they make to look like shrubbery. They’ll tape up things and hide it in the bush. They’ll watch them, and once they’re not home, they’ll go in and break into the home and steal lots of jewelry, lots of cash. That’s the main goal,” said Lanning.
On Wednesday, Westminster police issued a crime alert on social media and visited businesses across the community about the crime trend. Lanning says they’ve experienced at least eight cases related to this trend, but it’s been a widespread problem throughout the metro.
“We don’t know exactly how they identify a target, but once they do, they usually follow them from the place of business to their home,” said Lanning.
While many Hispanic and Asian small businesses have been targeted, police say anyone could easily be a victim. In one recent burglary case, more than $50,000 worth of cash was stolen.
“[You got to] be really careful and don’t be so trusting,” said Carmen Landin, who works at a Mexican restaurant in Westminster.
While Landin’s workplace hasn’t experienced this kind of crime trend, they have been victims of recent burglaries.
“It was about two months ago that I think it happened,” she said. “They broke the door two times. They took the cash, the little cash we had.”
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Landin says they will continue to remain on guard now with this latest attempt to hurt small businesses.
“We’re all hard workers, we’re all here to work,” said Landin.
“It is unusual. usually, a lot of times its random. Some people just pick a neighborhood and kind of pick a place, but they’re targeted. They’re watched. It could be up to a day, a week, a month,” said Lanning. “We’re not exactly sure how long they’re watching them.”
Westminster police say multiple people have been arrested for this same crime, including a group from Romania, and they believe more could be following the trend.
“We’re asking the community to be very proactive. keep an eye around the neighborhood,” said Lanning. “If something doesn’t look right, call, say something. For business owners, when you’re going home, is there somebody strange watching you leave? Maybe take different routes home. Just be a little more cognizant of what’s going on around you.”
