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Man arrested in burglary that targeted Asian-American Business owners: police
Police say DNA evidence led to the arrest of a suspect in an Aug. 2022 burglary in Abington Township that was part of a nationwide trend where Asian-American business owners were targeted.
PHILADELPHIA - A suspect has been charged in connection with a string of high-end burglaries targeting Asian-Americans in Montgomery County.
Police say DNA evidence led to the identification and arrest of Fredy Alexander Beltran-Ortiz, a 25-year-old from Queens, New York. He faces five felony charges related to the alleged burglary.
Detectives say Ortiz and two other men forced their way into a Huntingdon Valley home back in Aug. 2022 while the victims were working at their business in Philadelphia. Prior to the break-in, police say then mean created a fake pizza delivery to ensure that no one was home.
Pa. State Police report increase in home burglaries targeting Asian-American restaurant owners
Pennsylvania State Police say they are seeing an increase in home burglaries targeting Asian-American restaurant owners statewide.
Once inside, Ortiz and his accomplices allegedly took more than $10,000 worth of cash, jewelry, and other valuable items – including a child’s violin and piggy bank.
Police described the Aug. 2022 incident as part of a string of incidents where a highly-organized group targeted business owners and people of Asian descent. Detectives say suspects would observe the businesses and learn the ‘life patterns’ of the owners before following them home to see where they live.
Authorities say the trend has been happening throughout the country.