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Street Robbers Targeting People Of Indian Descent Wearing Gold Jewelry In Santa Clara, Sunnyvale

SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) -- Street robberies in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale have been targeting people of Indian descent wearing gold jewelry, the Santa Clara Police Department announced Wednesday.

Suspects in the robberies will come up to their victims on the street and either grab the jewelry and run or brandish a handgun and demand the victims' jewelry and wallet, according to police.

The robberies have been reported both during day and evening hours, police said.

The suspects in the robberies have been described as African American or Hispanic males in their early 20s, according to police.

In September, Santa Clara police reported that some street robberies in the city involving victims of Indian descent had occurred near Bing Drive at Homestead Road, El Camino Real at Lawrence Expressway and Monroe Street at Los Padres Boulevard.

Police recommend that to avoid the possibility of a robbery, people should keep their jewelry less visible, walk in well-lit areas and remain aware of suspicious persons and vehicles in their surroundings, officers said.

People who feel unsafe where they are should go to a safe place and call for help, police said.

Victims should avoid fighting back and call 911 as soon as possible to report a crime or describe a suspect or suspects, according to officers.

Anyone with information about street robberies in Santa Clara may call the city's police tip line at (408) 241-9495, or for such crimes in Sunnyvale, call the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety at (408) 730-7100.

© Copyright 2014 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

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