Criminal networks 'targeting' Asian families' gold

A petition is calling for tougher action against burglars who target families of south Asian heritage for their gold jewellery.

More than 1,200 people have signed since it was launched in Wokingham a month ago.

Among those being asked to intervene is Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who campaigners want to see toughen up sentencing guidelines to make "deliberate cultural, demographic, or heritage profiling" an aggravating factor, leading to longer jail terms.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said courts already take into account a range of factors when sentencing. Sanjeev Singh, who started the petition, had his home in the Winnersh area burgled four years ago while at a family wedding in India.

He said seeing a recent uptick in burglaries in the run up to Diwali celebrations last weekend led him to start his campaign.

Talking about his own theft, Singh said: "Realising a household was deliberately watched and targeted leaves deep, invisible scars that take years to heal."

The gang spent about an hour going through every room in the house after smashing the glass patio door to gain access.

Their target was his wife's jewellery.

He said like a lot of south Asian families, it is normally kept securely at a nearby bank but they had taken it out ahead of the wedding.

Some had been left behind while they were travelling.

He did not want to say how much was taken but said the criminals' haul ran into thousands of pounds.

"...it's not just the financial value, it is the emotional aspect, it's the trauma, it's the insecurity which people start to feel that how easy it is for people to walk in and do things like this," he said.

Items also have a sentimental value, having been given to mark a wedding or as in Singh's case, a ring his late mother had presented to him.

Friend Ajay Pentela had his house, in the Winnersh area, broken into when he took his daughter to the doctors last month.

"We suspect this is an organised crime," he said. "Because there is a series of events after my burglary in my property with neighbours' houses being broken into."

In another recent incident nearby, the daughter of one family was in the house when burglars broke in, coming face-to-face with the criminals who then fled the property.

A group of those affected by the break-ins met police and council officials earlier this month.

Stephen Conway, Wokingham Borough Council's leader, said it was hoped residents could act as eyes and ears for the police.

"We agreed collectively, that the way forward between police, council and residents, with the latter giving the police intelligence on anything unusual," he said.

Thames Valley Police said during Diwali it had stepped up its presence in some areas.

People, it added, had been encouraged to keep valuables out of sight through windows and doors and keep them in a secure location.

A spokesperson also added members of the community should be "mindful of sharing details of valuable purchases on social media".

The force has been asked to provide updates on the crimes.

An MoJ spokesperson said: "When handing down a sentence for theft, courts already take into account a range of factors including how the crime was carried out, how much planning went into it, and the financial and emotional impact on victims."