The San Leandro Police Department observed a massive surge of Asian-based crimes compared to other demographics in the city.
The department conducted an analysis and found that crimes targeting Asians surged by 283% compared from the time between 2019 and 2020.
Asian American Crime Surge
“I feel very dangerous for me and also for my parents. I’m afraid of when my parents go out and they will meet someone or be attacked by others with no reason! Without reason! Just walk and then boom!” San Leandro resident Cara Wong said.
The San Leandro Police Department’s crime analysis reviewed all crimes conducted in the city last year and listed them down by demographics. About 36% of the city are Asian Americans and a review showed they were more likely to be targeted by robbers than any other group.
“We do know that some of these cases are happening around banks and that’s definitely something that would be a crime of opportunity. We know these are happening in shopping centers,” San Leandro Police Department Crime Analyst Denise Joseph said.
The data discovered about eight out of every 1,000 Asian Americans were victims of robberies. It was the number one most frequently reported crime by the demographic.
The San Leandro Police Department urged the Asian American community to report crimes they experience or witness by releasing a video in Mandarin, NBC Bay Area reported.
“Part of it is it’s a low-risk, high-reward for the offenders. The people they are targeting tend to be elderly or alone or just they’re not paying attention,” Joseph said. She added the coronavirus pandemic could be contributing to the increase of Asian American-focused crime.