There have been nine robberies in the homes of Asian restaurateurs in the last few weeks, police say.
Police say they are still looking for suspects in a string of at least 13 break and enters at the homes of Asian-style restaurant owners and employees across the city.
Police have been using the Chinatown BIA to deliver two messages, says Ottawa Police Staff Sgt. Kal Ghadban, head of the break and enter unit.
“Number one, if anyone knows anything, tell us. Number two, don’t leave valuables at home,” he says. Instead, these valuables should be kept in a safety deposit box or other secure location.
The series of thefts began on Oct. 22, and the most recent was Nov. 23, Ghadban says. The thieves sought specific items, police say. They allegedly took high-end jewellery, gold bars, and cash, leaving electronics and other valuables behind.
Many of the thefts took place in the south end of the city, but break-ins have happened all over Ottawa. Police say the targets are people who work at or own Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean restaurants. In at least two cases, home safes were compromised.
Some people in the Asian community keep large amounts of cash and expensive jewelry in their homes, Ghadban says.
“A number of people keep 22-karat gold items in their homes,” Ghadban says, adding that this gold also often comes from wedding gifts.
“From talking to different people, it seems to be a cultural or a generational thing” for some people to keep their money and valuables in their homes, Ghadban says. Some don’t trust banks, he says.
Peter So, chair of the Chinatown BIA and owner So Good Restaurant on Somerset Street, was one of the victims.
“I feel invaded, but thank God I have a very good alarm system. They got scared and didn’t take many things,” he says.
The street So lives on has a Neighbourhood Watch program now, he says, and everyone is looking out for each other.
“A lot of people lost a lot of stuff. Some people lost their life savings. It’s very tragic,” he says.
So says he has heard about elderly owners of a Korean restaurant who were targeted. They kept their life savings in their home.
“It’s all gone. They cleaned them out,” he says.
People are now taking precautions, placing their valuables in a safety deposit box instead of leaving them at home, he says.
Restaurant owners and workers are indeed becoming more cautious, says the owner of Wei’s Noodle House, who didn’t want to be identified by name. He isn’t too worried, he says, but has been looking over his shoulder more often.
“Restaurant owners, they’re being targeted because they work long hours. That’s what makes them vulnerable,” he says.
The break-ins happened while the houses were empty. Long hours are inevitable for many restaurant owners.
Ghadban says the police hope that they can find a common connection between the victims that will break the case.
Police continue to investigate.