In wake of Little Saigon robberies, Sacramento law enforcement addresses anti-Asian crime fears

Sacramento County authorities sought to calm fears of a rise in violence against Asian Americans in Little Saigon at a town hall Thursday night following at least two daytime strong-arm robberies in south Sacramento that were caught on video last month.

At the town hall, which was attended by about 100 people, Sheriff Jim Cooper said that the robberies involved “vicious assaults” and that the Sheriff’s Office has “always taken these crimes seriously and (committed) the maximum amount of resources to track down these people.” But he also said that the public videos of the crimes have contributed to a perception that there is more violence than there really is.

“Sometimes it seems like there are 10 robberies and you’re really hearing about one robbery 10 times,” Cooper said.

A Sheriff’s Office chart shown to attendees counted 28 robberies between Jan. 1 and May 31 in the area around Stockton Boulevard and Florin Road, which serves as a cultural hub with many Vietnamese and Chinese businesses. According to sheriff’s officials, there were 90 robberies in 2022 and 56 in 2021.

Authorities noted that robberies tended to happen during the daytime in business parking lots. According to Cooper, thieves targeted women and the elderly, following victims before snatching high-value items from victims. They urged residents to be alert of their surroundings, avoid shopping alone, avoid carrying purses and avoid wearing jewelry to prevent becoming a victim.

At least one robbery case was being pursued as a hate crime, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho told attendees.

In that case, Ho and Cooper said, investigators said that one suspect sent a text message indicating they were targeting Asians with a racial slur prior to the robbery, providing evidence of “animosity in their mind that motivated them to commit that specific crime.”

Provable hate crimes are a fraction of typical robberies, both men said. But even in “crimes of opportunity,” the victims’ Asian identities may have played a role, said Ho, a former Vietnamese refugee.

“I believe that Asians have been targeted because there’s a perception that we don’t call the police, that we won’t work with the government, that we carry cash on us, that we are weak, that we don’t speak up and stand up,” he said. “Honestly that needs to change and we need to change that perception.”

The Sheriff’s Office has arrested suspects in a “large percentage” of the reported cases, Cooper said. While the time taken for an arrest to be made varies by case, technology like security cameras installed by local businesses and a trailer camera that allows for license plate identification have made cases quicker to solve, Cooper said.

The town hall was co-hosted by the Stockton Boulevard Partnership, which represents around 400 businesses in the corridor. The partnership’s executive director, Frank Louie, previously owned a restaurant in the area for 28 years. He said after the town hall that he appreciates the work the Sheriff and D.A. are doing.

“When they were able to share crime stats over that seven-year period, seeing that the crime trend was spiraling downward, it just shows that they’re being more proactive in addressing these crimes of opportunity in the area,” he said. “It speaks volumes to their leadership.”

Louie also noted that local businesses and community members have been “very proactive versus reactive” about safety. According to Louie, the partnership spends most of its budget employing a private security firm to patrol the area between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week. The group also hosts regular “Cops and Coffee” events to bolster relationships with law enforcement.

Community safety efforts have also included educating seniors on how to not be victims, Louie said, though persuading them to change habits can be difficult.

“My mom is 90 years old, she’s been in this country for 70 years. I kid you not, even with her son telling her ‘Mom, use your credit card,’ she won’t do that,” Louie said. “She’s all in favor of carrying her little cash to the grocery store.”

“Of course, we talk about law enforcement getting people who committed the crime, but also ... it’s really connecting the community and letting the community know we will not be silent, that we will be there to protect each other and we will be here to work together.” said Rejie Baloyos, executive director of Asian Resources Inc., a community organization run out of the neighborhood.

Jonathan Lan is the owner of Pegasus Bakery and Cafe, outside of which a robber took a purse from a 54-year-old woman and dragged her to the floor while escaping in a car in May. The incident was captured in a widely-shared surveillance camera video.

Crime and anti-Asian hate during the pandemic caused half his employees to quit, he said. But he also feels that things are getting better, and he said he appreciates Ho’s shared background with residents in the area.

“I think generally if we work together, we can make a better and safer community,” Lan said. “We see Sacramento, Elk Grove, this area as our home. We are not going back. I’m not gonna move to Canada just to avoid crime. Crime is everywhere. It depends how we face it.”

This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 5:00 AM.