Authorities in Texas have arrested four people who are allegedly behind a series of NJ home invasions where Indian-American families were tied up and held at gunpoint while being robbed of cash and jewelry. It was believed that many families were targeted because they traditionally wear their "best gold" during the festival of Diwali.
Chaka Castro, 39; Juana Olaya, 34; Johnisha Williams, 19; and the alleged ringleader, Octavius Scott, 22, were arrested last week for home invasions in Texas, including an incident where one victim was punched. The four are believed to be involved in home invasions in Georgia, Michigan and New York as well.
Four of the five NJ robberies appear to be related to Diwali. According to the NY Times, "Gold is often worn during the celebration, and is prized inside homes during the religious holiday. One family in Edison reported being robbed of tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of necklaces, rings, earrings and pendants."
A police officer in Allen Texas told NJ.com, "We were told that Indian Asian families were targeted this time of year because they attend holiday parties and wear their best jewelery. We were also told it was because many families tend to keep a large amount of cash in the house. Whether that’s true remains to be seen... We also don’t know where they got their list of victims, how you get on that list."
Satish Poondi, of the Indian Business Assocation in NJ, told the Times, "We are all very, very relieved that this episode has come to a conclusion. I think stereotypes played a role in it,. There might be stereotypes that South Asians carry more cash or gold in their homes, but for the most part, 365 days on average, most South Asians are not Fort Knox." He is, however, urging members of the community to put their valuables in safe deposit boxes at the bank.
