Studio City neighbors concerned over increase in home burglaries

CBS News

4 days ago

Neighbors living in one Studio City neighborhood are living on edge due to an increased amount of home burglaries in recent weeks.
They say that in just the last week there have been two instances, including one where a suspect allegedly crawled through the doggy door of a home to gain access.
Because of this, Colfax Meadows neighbors are now banding together to try and combat the criminals that seem to be constantly targeting their homes. They've started a WhatsApp group chat with nearly 350 members living in the neighborhood, which they use to alert others of suspicious people or other circumstances they notice.
One photo shared by a member of the chat shows a blacked-out Mercedes-Benz with its license plates covered by what looks like a rag. They believe that the car was used in one of the recent burglaries.
"That car was tracked on a camera and at right around 3:50, which they broke into a house through the doggy door after doing the ringing the doorbell and seeing no one was home," said Matt T., one of the many residents concerned with safety in their neighborhood. "Then they broke in and then ransacked the home and then left."
Even with most of the homes in the neighborhood equipped with security cameras, neighbors say that suspects are covering their faces and planning their attacks in broad daylight.
"I've been here for seven years, this definitely seems like the highest frequency of break-ins, I think the criminals are becoming more aggressive, they seem much more professionalized," Matt said. "We know their formula now. They come between noon and two, when they think people are out. They scope the neighborhood and they just think this is an easy target."
In response to the crimes, Los Angeles City Councilman Adrin Nazarian shared a statement, which read: "I have a word of warning for any burglars or potential burglars out there. You might think you're going to get away with it, but you're not. You're going to get caught. There are eyes everywhere."
The trend marks just another San Fernando Valley city being affected by the rash of crime, as Encino residents continue to work together in fighting a string of burglaries, robberies and even murder, after "American Idol" executive Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca were killed inside their own home in early July.