Two recent burglaries in Portland that police believe targeted Asian households may be linked to a string of break-ins across the Northeast.

Interim Police Chief F. Health Gorham said Monday that officers noticed similarities between the two local crimes and a larger pattern of burglaries in other parts of Maine and beyond, including the way perpetrators posed as food delivery drivers to case homes before breaking in.

Police believe the suspects in two recent burglaries are traveling in this white BMW with Colorado license plate number KYO-765.  Courtesy Portland Police Department

Police believe the suspects are traveling from out of state and are driving a white BMW with Colorado license plate number KYO-765.

While the trail of similar cases appears to stretch as far south as New York, Gorham said Portland police are still talking to other departments to determine the scope.

The department warned Friday that the suspects may be targeting the homes of Asian small business owners. While the Portland victims are Asian, Gorham said he does not know whether that is true of victims in the other break-ins.

He asked all residents to make sure their locks and security systems are working properly and to call the police if a food delivery driver appears at their door with an order they did not place.

Police do not know how many people were involved in the burglaries or whether they remain in the Portland area.

Portland police say suspects in recent home burglaries have been posing as delivery drivers. Courtesy Portland Police Department

Last week’s burglaries occurred in quick succession, Gorham said, though he did not answer specific questions about when and where. “We’re still investigating,” Gorham said.

He added that family members were home during one of the break-ins, but police aren’t treating the case as a robbery, meaning the suspects did not use violence.

“Our primary goal here is really to prosecute the perpetrators,” Gorham said, “so I don’t want to get into too many details.”