NYC man linked to burglary ring targeting Asian American homes arrested for Pennsylvania burglary
By Carl Samson
After a lengthy investigation, a man from Queens, New York City, has been arrested in connection with a burglary that targeted an Asian American home in Abington Township, Pennsylvania, last year.
The allegation: Fredy Alexander Beltran-Ortiz, 25, is allegedly one of three men who burglarized the home of an Asian American business owner on Andrew Road in the Huntingdon Valley section of Abington Township on Aug. 9, 2022.
After posing as pizza delivery workers to ensure that no one was home, the group broke into the property to steal more than $10,000 worth of cash, jewelry and valuable items, including a child’s violin and piggy bank, Abington police said.
The arrest: DNA evidence linked Beltran-Ortiz to the incident. Abington police discovered that he was already in Rikers Island due to a DUI charge.
On Wednesday, they traveled to the New York prison to transport him to Abington, where he now faces five felony burglary-related charges. Police recommended a $100,000 cash bail, but it was ultimately set at $1,000, which he managed to post later that day for his release.
What authorities are saying: Investigators believe Beltran-Ortiz is connected to other burglaries that targeted Asian American homes in the tri-state area. Business owners have been urged to remain vigilant, monitor their surroundings and improve their home’s security systems.
“We’re looking at additional burglaries in the Delaware Valley and suburbs of Philadelphia, even stretching into New Jersey and Delaware, where it’s obvious the victims are targeted because of their race and that they’re Asian business owners,” said Lt. Steven Fink of Abington police, as per WPVI.
“We strongly believe because of the stereotype that they have a lot of money and valuables in the home, that they were specifically targeted.”
Beltran-Ortiz is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 20.
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