Eastside News

Bellevue police search for suspects in necklace robberies

By Ranji Sinha, KIRO 7 News
By Ranji Sinha, KIRO 7 News

A new crime streak on the east side has thieves ripping jewelry right off women's necks. Bellevue police say it's happening in the middle of the day.

KIRO 7 spoke to the police, who say the thieves are going after women from the same ethnic group.

Scroll down to continue reading 

Trending headlines: 

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP

“All I can say is I have never taken this off. I've been married 22 years I've never taken it out,” Neeti Mittal said.

Mittal said the chain around her neck is worth much more than its weight in gold. The President of the Indian Association of Western Washington, Mittal says many of the women she knows would not want to have their jewelry lost or stolen. She’s worried that several South Asian women have had their chains ripped from their necks in Bellevue.

“You feel violated. You think people would just snatch things from you," said Mittal.

Bellevue police public information officer Seth Tyler says a group of men have been stealing jewelry since late August and South Asian and East Indian women have been the prime target.

“These are very valuable to the families of the victims, and imagine someone stealing your wedding ring, this is very similar to that," said Tyler.

Bellevue police  released a list of locations and dates where the chain snatchings have occurred.

In Bellevue: 

  • 08/31/2017 13700 Block of NE 10th Place
  • 09/05/2017 5000 Block of 148th Avenue NE
  • 09/15/2017 1200 Block of 156th Avenue NE
  • 09/18/2017 4700 Block of 148th Avenue NE
  • 09/21/2017 1600 Block of 156th Avenue NE
  • 09/23/2017 3500 Block of 148th Avenue NE

In Redmond:

  • 09/30/2017 4800 Block of 156th Avenue NE

Mittal, and one of her colleagues in the IAWW, Lalita Uppala, say they’re not surprised the crimes are happening in the months leading up to Diwali, a major Hindu Festival.

Mittal says it’s an auspicious time on the calendar.

“It's the holy festivals (people) going around, people like to dress up they want to bring our their finery," said Mittal.

Uppala says the cultural context with Indians being targeted cannot be ignored completely.

“I absolutely think there is a cultural context, there is the fact that you're wearing expensive jewelry and someone wants what you have," said Uppala.

Uppala says she has tried to track and keep tabs on hate crimes against South Asians and Indian immigrants for IAWW. She’s also tried to develop programs to make people aware of such situations.

She says Indian families have been victims of burglary or theft during the festival season, having goods and jewelry stolen, but she did say the chain snatchings are to her a new crime of convenience.

“You walk to your neighbor's house, you walk dressed up because it's a time to celebrate, and we take pride in our cultural attire," she said.

The women who spoke to KIRO 7 did admit that the streets where the crimes occurred are considered some of the safest in Bellevue, Uppala says people should dress up but take precautions.

"It does make you a target, but do we stop being who we are? No.”

Bellevue police are asking for the public's help to try and track down the suspects and consider this a serial string of crimes.

The suspects are described as African American males, between 20 and 35 years old.  At least one suspect is bald or has a shaved head. They said the suspects have worked in a team, usually of two. They distract the victim before stealing her necklace.

Anyone with information is  asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Cox Media Group

Most Read