5th home invasion in Middlesex County under investigation

OLD BRIDGE (WABC) -- It's a terrifying string of crimes that has communities all over Middlesex Country on guard and keeping a watchful eye out.

The most recent home invasion happened Saturday inside a quiet subdivision in Old Bridge, marking the 5th incident in just six weeks.

A 'quiet hardworking family with two little ones' is how neighbors describe the owners of an Old Bridge home - a home several men with guns targeted just before 7:30 Saturday evening.

"I saw some lighting activity next door but I really didn't think anything of it," says Palma Fanetti, "turns out that I possibly may have seen them departing the home from the home invasion."

A friend of the family says both the parents and grandparents were tied up inside a back bedroom while two small children ages 4 and 6 were left alone and told to be quiet.

The thieves then searched the house and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash and valuables.

"He was telling me that it just seemed so surreal and they were shocked," says Kieth Monti.

What's even more disturbing is that authorities say this is the 5th home invasion in Middlesex County was where a family of Asian or Indian descent was targeted. The first two invasions happened in Old Bridge at the end of October, followed by two others in South Plainfield and Edison.

"When it's targeted against a certain population, it increases people feeling vulnerable," says Satish Poondi, Legal Advisor to the Indian Business Association.

Poondi helped organize a recent community forum to inform residents about the alarming crime trend and says his group is looking forward to continuing to work with police to keep people safe and catch those responsible.

"There's a sense that we need to work with each other, because we understand that you're not going to have police on every corner to the point people are on the lookout to see if there's any suspicious activity," Poondi says.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward to anyone who provides useful information and the Indian Business Association is drawing resources together to do the same.

Anyone with information is urged to call their local police, or Agent John Selesky of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745-3439, or Detective John Marotta of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745- 3331.

Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County Inc. is offering cash rewards to anyone who wants to provide information anonymously. The Crime Stoppers phone number is: 1-800-939-9600.