ABINGTON, Pa. – Police and township officials in Abington are voicing their concerns about a rash of home burglaries they say targeted Asian-American business owners. 

The Abington Police Department said the first theft happened on July 31 when a home was burglarized in broad daylight on the 1300 block of Carol Road.

No one was home at the time of the burglary, according to police. 

A week later, police said a resident was assaulted by two suspects during a nighttime robbery on Lee Lynn Lane. Police say the suspects stole items and fled the house.

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“Abington detectives have determined that both of these homes were specifically targeted because the residents are Asian-American and own or operate a business in the area,” police said in a release. “This is a particularly disturbing, and nation-wide crime trend where organized groups of thieves are targeting the homes of Asian American business owners due to the stereotype that Asian business owners have items of high value in their homes.”

Investigators believe the suspects “learn the life patterns” of their victims, including surveying their business and following them home from work to learn where they live.  The Abington Police Department said combating the troubling trend is a “top priority.” 

The Abington Township Human Relations Commission spoke out about the rash of allegedly racially-motivated crimes earlier this month. 

“The Abington Township Human Relations Commission (ATHRC) is deeply troubled by the recent burglaries targeting the homes of Asian American business owners in our community,” they said. “These incidents are not only criminal acts but also reflect a disturbing trend of racially motivated discrimination that we unequivocally condemn.”

Anyone with information on the reported crimes is asked to contact police.