Police in East Lyme are investigating after two families of Southeast Asian descent had their homes burglarized last month.
The home break-ins happened just five days apart and appear to be connected, police said.
“We don’t generally have a lot of burglaries in our town so it is something that does stand out when it does occur especially when it is similar victims and two within one week," Police Chief Michael Finkelstein said.
One of the break-ins happened at Sudhir Kadian's home. He and his wife, Bharti, arrived home after getting dinner with their children. When Sudhir went up to their second floor bedroom, he found the window shattered and their closet ransacked.
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“It is very painful and it is scary," he said.
The burglars managed to open one of their safes and took all of the items inside. They stole a second safe.
Both safes were filled with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and family heirlooms that had been passed down through generations.
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"The cultural and emotional value it carries, you can't measure in a dollar amount," Kadian said.
The Kadians have an alarm system, but their second floor windows did not have sensors. They have since upgraded their system so that burglars cannot bypass the alarm system again. They also added cameras.
Chief Finkelstein said his team believes the two break-ins are likely connected. They are now investigating to determine if the break-ins could be connected to crimes in other states.
Over the summer, several police departments in Massachusetts urged security measures after a string of home break-ins specifically targeting South Asian communities.
Other states have reported similar organized burglaries.
East Lyme police have not determined who is responsible for the break-ins. Investigators have sent evidence to a lab and shared information about the break-ins with state partners.
Police are reminding people to be aware and make sure security systems are working.
“I want these guys to be caught," Kadian said. "Not only to find my stuff, but I do not want this to happen to anybody- period."
