Katy Asian Town targeted in string of burglaries, HCSO needs help to ID suspect
KATY, Texas - A string of burglaries at Katy Asian Town has left people on edge. Law enforcement is now asking for the public's help identifying the suspect caught on surveillance video.
Several of the businesses are now boarded up after the alleged burglar shattered multiple glass doors to break inside.
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More than 10 businesses have been burglarized in the last week, the most recent happening early Saturday morning.
The businesses hit include Phanh Ky, Share Tea, Pho Best, Eight Turn Crepe, Com Tam Saigon, Ding Tea, Fork It, Lada Coffee, Break Time Coffee, and several more.
"To be honest, most of the employees, they’re kind of a little bit concerned about this. They’re all living around this neighborhood here, and it’s never happened like this before. The craziest is that it happened two days," Long Nguyen, the manager of Com Tam Saigon said.
Surveillance video captures the suspect shattering a restaurant’s glass then make a beeline for the register. After grabbing whatever he could, the suspect is seen continuing on with his spree.
In total, Harris County Sheriff’s deputies say he got away with only a few hundred dollars. But left many of these family-owned businesses with thousands of dollars in repairs.
"We had the officer patrol during the night and those are all at our cost," said Josie Lin, the CEO of UMRE Group.
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Josie Lin is the president of the HOA for Katy Asian Town. According to Lin, there’s roughly 80 high-res cameras around the entire center that captured clear images of the suspect.
Lin hopes someone will come forward to help identify the man who’s ruining so many families' livelihoods.
"We have patrols during the night. And how come they figure out we don’t have patrol that night and they came in. This is really, really weird," Lin said.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect is a 20–25-year-old Black or Hispanic man, who is possibly homeless.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect should contact HCSO Burglary and Theft Unit at 713-274-9200 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.