NCJ Number
158858
Date Published
1992
Length
121 pages
Annotation
This book presents eight case studies of "home invasion robberies" and jewelry store robberies committed by Vietnamese criminals, as well as a Vietnamese insurance fraud scheme; the authors identify factors in these cases that will help detectives in the investigation of similar offenses committed by Asian offenders and gangs.
Abstract
A "home invasion robbery" is defined as a "deliberate act that is perpetrated by robbers who expect their victims to be within the home when they commence the crime or to return home during the course of their robbery." The authors advise that two factors set the Asian home invasion robbery victims and perpetrators apart from all other former home invasion scenarios. First, the victims are selected because the perpetrators believe them to own or operate a business, have great wealth, store wealth in the home instead of with banks, and have a cultural tradition of not reporting crimes to the police. The second distinctive factor is the array of residences where Vietnamese offenders can hide. Typically, their crimes are committed outside of areas where their fingerprints may be on file because of previous crimes in that jurisdiction. The concluding chapter provides a summary of factors in the case studies that can help detectives in pursuing leads in such cases. The frequency with which out-of-State perpetrators commit crimes suggests that police officers should be suspicious when they observe a car with a number of Vietnamese occupants bearing an out-of-State or phony in-State license plate. Other topics discussed in the final chapter are the value of facial photographs of suspects, the use of informants, the conversion of stolen goods, and sentencing disparities.