The police are warning residents that there are two to four males, who are part of an organized burglary crew that are targeting West L.A., including Pacific Palisades.
The suspects target large homes that appear to be unoccupied. On several occasions’ suspects have been depicted using a ladder, step stool, outdoor furniture or exterior drainpipes attached to the rear of the residence to get up to the master bedroom’s second story balcony.
The suspects then smash or cut out the glass partition of the door and crawl in to remove property. They take jewelry, watches, high-end purses, safes and US currency.
Often there is a getaway vehicle out front with one suspect acting as a lookout.
Suspects are known to carry handheld short-range radios for communication with the suspect at the getaway vehicle.
The suspects also carry a WIFI Jammer in an attempt to disrupt the WIFI signal of wireless residential security cameras like RING or NEST.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR:
- Entry is made through a first-floor rear sliding door or second story rear balcony glass door by smashing or cutting out a glass partition of the door. Suspect will not open the door to prevent setting off alarm sensors.
- In some cases, the suspects attempt entry while the victim is inside their residence.
- Hours of crimes vary throughout the day and night.
- Suspects are crews of multiple males, usually masked and gloved.
- Suspect vehicles are usually rentals with dealer paper plates, temporary paper plates or “cold plates”- freshly stolen plates not yet reported.
- Some suspect vehicles have been seen working in tandem with up to two vehicles.
- Suspects are also known to remove the vehicle license plates prior to committing a crime to avoid police or surveillance detection.
- Residence may be a greater target if there is a lack of video surveillance, alarm system/active security guard on patrol.
- Residents are asked to check backyards and the residence perimeter for possible hidden recording devices and be aware of drones (used to obtain surveillance of a residence and patterns of life for residents).
PREVENTION TECHNIQUES:
- Speak with neighbors about suspicious activity and noises on your block. Take photos of suspects or vehicles (showing plate) loitering by the building if you can do so safely.
- Implement a group email alert system in your building/neighborhood. If you see something, say something.
- If there is not currently a video surveillance system on the exterior and interior areas of your residence, consider installation options. Cameras and signs on premises can be a deterrent. Also, consider an online community neighborhood watch (i.e. Neighbors from “Ring” or “Nextdoor” apps for information sharing).
- If your neighborhood has an HOA association, consider investing in a neighborhood/community camera surveillance system (i.e. “Flock”, or “Vigilant”) for ongoing monitoring of vehicles that are not local to the area.
- Residents may wish to add motion lights and alarms to their glass sliding doors for additional security.
- Keep your alarm activated at all times, whether you are at home or out for a short period of time and try and place your DVR in a location which is protected from tampering.
- Harden your exterior electrical circuit box with a padlock to prevent suspects from the cutting of power to security alarms and camera surveillance systems.
- Keep a pole in the sliding glass door track at all times.
- If you are out for the evening, leave lights on in several rooms, and possibly leave the television on. If are away for several days, install timer lights to activate at night, and ask your neighbors to be on the alert, providing them with your contact info. Ask a neighbor to retrieve your mail and packages daily.
- If possible, keep expensive jewelry in a bank safe deposit box, not at your residence.
- If a safe is owned, make sure it is bolted to the floorboard and consider placing a GPS tracking device inside as a contingency so it can be tracked.
If you have any information regarding suspects matching the above situations, contact WLA Burglary Detective Carrillo at (310) 444-1568 / (213) 216-5308.
HOME INVASION SUSPECT SHOT:
Daily News reported on Sunday, December 3, (“Granada Hills Resident Shoots, Kills Home Invasion Suspect”) that a home invasion suspect was shot and killed by the homeowner around 5 a.m. on December 2. “During the break-in, one man pointed a weapon at the homeowner who produced a gun and shot the suspect.
“The three other men fled with a blood trail leading away from the home; authorities believe at least one of the other men were injured.”
The homeowner’s family, including a grandmother and child, was at home at the time of the hot prowl.