Mayor Karen Bass has ordered the Los Angeles Police Department to increase patrols across the San Fernando Valley after a series of residential burglaries has left community members on edge. The directive, announced Saturday, includes deploying additional resources along the Ventura Boulevard corridor in response to six reported break-ins over a seven-day period.
The string of incidents has heightened concerns about property crime in the Valley, prompting the mayor’s office to take decisive action. In one of the more high-profile cases, actor Dylan Sprouse, known for his role in Disney's "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," confronted a trespasser on the lawn of his Hollywood Hills home, which he shares with his wife, model Barbara Palvin.
Sources familiar with the incident said Sprouse tackled the man, who did not manage to enter the home, and held him until police arrived. The man was subsequently taken into custody on outstanding warrants. No injuries were reported in that incident.
However, another break-in turned violent when a Hollywood Hills resident was assaulted after discovering multiple burglars inside her home about a week ago. The resident sustained minor injuries, and the suspects fled in a grey Hyundai. This incident, combined with the others, has contributed to a growing sense of unease among residents.
Increased police presence and tactics
In response to the crime wave, Mayor Bass has directed the LAPD to implement a multi-faceted strategy. This includes deploying more patrol vehicles in high-visibility locations, using mobile license plate readers in high-risk areas, and utilizing air support for patrols.
I’ve directed the LAPD to strategically deploy resources along Ventura Boulevard and to continue making this area a priority by holding these criminals accountable," Bass said in a statement. "Residents deserve to feel safe in their communities, especially in their homes, and we will continue to deploy the resources necessary to keep people safe.
The LAPD will also hold weekly meetings with detectives and collaborate with specialized units like the Robbery Homicide Division and the Commercial Crimes Division to investigate burglaries involving high-value losses. According to the mayor's office, this coordinated effort aims to not only respond to recent events but also to proactively deter future criminal activity.
The six burglaries occurred in several Valley neighbourhoods, including Sherman Oaks, Hollywood Hills, Valley Village, Valley Glen, and Granada Hills. While no direct link has been established between all six incidents, four of them occurred within two miles of Ventura Boulevard, making the major thoroughfare a focal point for the increased police presence.
A community on edge
The recent burglaries are part of a larger pattern that has worried San Fernando Valley residents for more than a year. Last summer, the community was shaken by the murders of "American Idol" music supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband, Tom DeLuca, in their Encino home during a break-in. The suspect in that case was later charged with murder and burglary in what police described as a seemingly random attack.
That tragic event, along with other high-profile home invasions, such as the one at the home of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Teddi Mellencamp, prompted community leaders to demand increased security measures, including the potential use of police drones. More recently, some business owners have also been targeted, such as the Cara Vana Coffee Shop in North Hollywood, which has been burglarized three times in five months.
Some residents have expressed support for the mayor's latest initiative but wonder if it will be sufficient to curb the trend. "I don't think it'll be enough, but we do need to step it up," Woodland Hills resident Oscar Torno told reporters. "It needs to be stepped up pretty hard, and need to go ahead and have patrols here, maybe nightly."
Police have previously highlighted the operations of organized burglary crews, including some with ties to South American groups and local gangs, who systematically target homes for luxury goods. These groups sometimes conduct pre-surveillance on properties, occasionally using hidden cameras to monitor residents' patterns, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Details of the recent burglaries
The series of six burglaries began on April 11 in Sherman Oaks, just a block from Ventura Boulevard. This was followed by the violent home invasion in the Hollywood Hills the next day. On Tuesday, a home in Valley Village was targeted, and less than an hour later, another break-in was reported a mile and a half away in Valley Glen. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, including the case where youths were arrested after a highway pursuit.
The following day, Wednesday, another Valley Glen home was burglarized by two people in grey hoodies. The final incident in the string occurred on Thursday in Granada Hills, where three masked men broke into a home but reportedly fled without stealing anything before officers arrived.
While the attempted break-in at Dylan Sprouse's home early Friday morning was not one of the six burglaries, it has drawn significant media attention to the issue. In a separate incident on Friday evening in Studio City, a man wearing a surgical mask entered a home through an unlocked window while the resident was there, but was apparently scared off and fled.
As the LAPD ramps up its presence, residents are being urged to remain vigilant, ensure doors and windows are secured, and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. The ongoing investigations will seek to determine if the burglaries are the work of a single coordinated group or separate criminal actors capitalizing on a perceived opportunity.
