Ten people have been arrested in connection with more than 60 residential burglaries around the Bay Area, San Francisco police announced Monday.
Property loss from the crimes amounted to almost $3 million, and a majority of the burglaries happened in San Francisco's Bayview, Ingleside and southwestern neighborhoods. Suspects were arrested in San Francisco, Oakland, Antioch, Brentwood and Las Vegas, police said.
Suspects stole firearms, jewelry, passports, and U.S. and foreign currency, police said. Nine of the 11 firearms have since been recovered and police towed eight vehicles involved in the crimes.
Thirty people are believed to be responsible for the burglaries. Police said four more are imminent for arrest while 16 others are still being investigated to determine their connection to the crimes.
Ten individuals who were arrested for the crimes ranged from 23 to 64 years old. Police said they worked together in several of the burglaries but they were not necessarily part of a criminal enterprise.
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The suspects allegedly targeted both occupied and unoccupied homes and police said there were no major injuries reported in any of the cases.
Capt. Robert Yick of the department's Taraval Station said about half of all residents in his district are of Asian descent, primarily Chinese. Yick said they had many valuables in their homes during the burglaries because of the Lunar New Year and it appeared the suspects were organized and working together to target the homes.
He said police have been reaching out to Asian communities through local media outlets to be aware of their surroundings and secure their items.
Burglars may no longer be targeting large items like TVs and electronics, Yick said, and it's important to secure items like passports, jewelry and cash.
Police said the investigation has resulted in a 20 percent drop in residential burglaries between February and March.
Police attributed the success to a new burglary unit established in 2017, and said several local, state and federal law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrests.
