Sacramento police say robberies decline in Asian American community

Police say a concerted effort to reduce the number of armed robberies targeting members of Sacramento's Asian American community has paid off, citing a 43 percent decrease in robberies in the affected areas last month.

As of Thursday, police said 20 people had been arrested for robberies in those areas. Although the suspects don’t appear to be connected to each other, they used similar tactics, officials said. Detectives have been able to link suspects currently in custody to several unsolved robbery cases, according to a Sacramento Police Department news release.

Asian residents of south Sacramento have complained that they’ve been the targets of robberies and that police response has been inadequate. They formed their own patrols to combat crimes that have frightened the community and led many residents to stay home after dark.

Over the past month, the Police Department held seven community outreach meetings where detectives discussed the robbery trend, provided safety tips and reported on the progress being made by investigators. Two additional community meetings will be held to provide updates and encourage community involvement, police said.

Several of the department’s specialized units will continue increased patrols and targeted enforcement at key locations, police said.

This story was originally published October 6, 2016 at 9:44 PM with the headline "Sacramento police say robberies decline in Asian American community."