Eugene Police were called to a break-in Thursday in the Churchill Neighborhood that they believe is part of a ring of burglaries targeting the Asian American community.
The crews appear to target homes where there’s likely cash, jewelry and other expensive items. The burglars have stolen safes and appear to surveil their potential victims, police say.
They’ve also jammed surveillance devices and broken into homes while the victims are at work.
Eugene Police advise residents to not keep large amounts of cash or valuables at home. They say to keep large cash stores at banks and valuables in safe deposit boxes.
They also advise getting hard wired home security systems which are harder for burglars to disable.
EPD Community Engagement Team offers these additional prevention tips:
- Lock all windows and doors. Use deadbolts on doors that have them
- Install surveillance cameras that will notify you in real time of criminal activity. Hardwired video surveillance and home security systems are more difficult for the burglars to defeat.
- Use timers on TVs and lights while away
- Close blinds when away from home and leave exterior lights on at night
- Make the home appear occupied when away or arrange to have someone stay at your house while gone
- Arrange mutual aid with your neighbors, keeping an eye on each other’s properties while you are gone
- Also, schedule vacation house checks while gone. https://www.eugene-or.gov/Search?searchPhrase=Home%20Vacation%20Check%20Application&pageNumber=1&perPage=10&departmentId=-1
- Don’t store large amounts of cash at home. Some criminals have been known to work together and steal large safes. If you have a safe, ensure it is mounted properly and securely
- Be aware of suspicious persons or vehicles around your neighborhood or at your place of business
- Schedule a free Home Vacation Check while away
- Schedule a Home Safety Assessment with the Eugene Police Department’s Community Engagement Team – Use the Eugene Police Community Engagement Team webpage, type in your address in the widget tool to find your specialist. https://www.eugene-or.gov/944/Community-Engagement-Team
Report ALL non-emergency crimes and suspicious activity to the police at 541-682-5111.
You can also report crimes online at https://epd.mypdconnect.com/