Indian American homes targeted, burglarized in upscale Cupertino, California neighborhood

CUPERTINO, Calif. (Diya TV) — A rash of burglaries has shaken Indian American residents in the Rancho Rinconada neighborhood of Cupertino, California, as the houses of several families were broken into this summer. Victims said the burglars appear to operate when the homeowners are away, helping themselves to thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, much of which are considered treasured family heirlooms.

One of the latest victims, Heena Desai, told India Currents she lost jewelry valued at more than $30,000. Desai says she and her husband left their home for a short time, and when they returned, their house had been burglarized. Like many neighbors, the Desais had security cameras and an alarm system, but the thieves managed to evade those defenses by breaking into the house through glass patio doors before making a quick exit.

Indian American tech executives Mudita Tiwari and Jayshri Yadwadkar were victimized in May and lost more than $35,000 in cash, jewelry and designer handbags to the alleged thieves. 

Residents believe robbers target such homes because many families keep treasure gold jewelry as part of their cultural traditions.

The emotional legacy of the burglaries has intensified anxiety; some of the residents have even changed their behavior, including not wearing traditional clothes outside for fear of being noticed.

Despite an overall reduction in the burglary counts this year at 44 versus 69 last year, concerns over security continue. Indian residents comprise nearly 21% of burglary victims. Therefore, they are demanding greater police patrols and better security arrangements. The city has installed ALPR cameras to aid in the identification of suspects and vehicles used for committing burglaries; however many of the residents still don’t feel safe.

Local police are pushing for the quicker reporting of suspicious activity while underreporting remains to obscure the scale of the problem. Protective measures include advocacy of neighborhood watches and new systems of home security equipment, all offered by Sheriff deputies.