Virginia thieves going for the gold

FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- A team of picky burglars have hit homes in northern Virginia in recent months, taking only the most valuable gold jewelry, police say.

Investigators in Fairfax and Loudon counties say the victims are Indians and South Asians but have no obvious ties to each other like temples or schools, The Washington Post reported. The burglars appear to know which houses are worth their while.

"Most of us didn't even know each other," said Raman Kumar of Centreville, one of the first victims. "But here is the thing: If you know our customs, you know we carry a lot of gold."

The burglaries have occurred during the workweek.

Some people who work at home say they may have been targeted -- until the thieves found out the house was occupied. They report a woman coming to the house and asking for directions when they answered the door.

Kumar said the burglars left computers but took gold jewelry and, especially annoying, a gold statue of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity.

"There is targeting due to gold prices," said Maryann Jennings, a spokeswoman for Fairfax County police. "That's how we are talking about it, rather than ethnicity."