Burglary Ring Targeted Asian Homeowners, Including In Eatontown: Feds

EATONTOWN, NJ — On Dec. 22, a Union County man admitted his role in a conspiracy that specifically targeted Asian and Asian-American small-business owners, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.

And Middletown, Tinton Falls and Eatontown were some of the towns targeted, plus many other towns throughout Central New Jersey.

The burglaries took place over a three-year time period, from 2016 to 2019.

Federal prosecutors say the group first did "reconnaissance" on homes and businesses in heavily populated Asian and Asian-American communities. They would monitor Asian businesses, typically Asian restaurants, to see what hours the business owners would be at work.

After learning the patterns of the victims, the men would then break into their homes when the homeowners were unlikely to be there.

Randi Barr, 41, of Vauxhall, pleaded guilty last Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. You can read his plea deal here: https://content.govdelivery.co...

Federal prosecutors say they robbed homes in New Jersey, plus New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. They took large sums of money, valuable jewelry and other items. They would transport the stolen goods back to Barr’s two homes, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

For example, federal prosecutors say that on September 1, 2018, they burglarized a home in Middlesex County, stealing approximately $1,000 in property. On October 23, 2018, they burglarized a second Middlesex County home, stealing approximately $55,600 in property. On November 20, 2018, they burglarized a home in Bergen County, stealing approximately $11,700 in property.

Towns affected included: Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township (PA), Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonia, Cranford, Delran, Edison, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township (PA), Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw (NY), Hazlet, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County (PA), Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County (Delaware), New Providence, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountains area, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South Plainfield, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Tuxedo (NY), Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township (PA), Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township (PA) and Woodbridge.

The FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, NJ State Police, the Port Authority, the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and many other agencies helped bust the ring, say federal prosecutors.