A recent string of home burglaries across the San Fernando Valley prompted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday to direct police to increase high-visibility patrols in the area.
Several break-ins have been reported at houses in Valley Village, Valley Glen, Sherman Oaks and Granada Hills.
In addition to the patrols, the crime-fighting boost will include license plate readers in high-risk areas, air support, and community meetings led by senior officers, Bass’ office said.
Detectives will also meet weekly to focus on trends and develop additional responses, with the police department’s Commercial Crimes Division and Robbery Homicide Division working to investigate high-value losses.
Meanwhile, the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division is actively investigating and arresting burglary crews, according to the mayor’s office.
The spate of burglaries goes back to the beginning of April. At least six break-ins were reported in the past week alone.
On Thursday evening, April 16, two or three men who may have had guns attempted to burglarize a home on the 11900 block of Wood Ranch Road in Granada Hills, police said.
On Wednesday, a burglary was reported on the 6800 block of Vanscoy Avenue in Valley Glen. Around 9:30 p.m., residents reported two men breaking a window and entering the home. The suspects were gone by the time police arrived, the LAPD said.
On the previous day, burglaries were reported around 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. at the 11700 block of Hesby Street and the 12700 block of Hatteras Street in Valley Village, police said. The two residences are about two miles away from each other. There was no information about suspects in the Hesby Street burglary. Three men, dressed in all black, were spotted running away from the Hatteras Street location, but they were gone when officers arrived, according to police.
On April 11, two burglaries were reported in Sherman Oaks. Around 1 a.m., two men were reportedly seen in a residence on the 4500 block of Sylmar Avenue. At 10:20 p.m., on the 13800 block of Davana Terrace, more than one suspect was inside a home, police said. Again, the suspects were gone when officers got there.
Some homes in the neighborhood near the Davana Terrace address have sold for $4 million-plus in recent years.
On March 30, a burglary was reported around 8:30 p.m. on the 6600 block of Longridge Avenue in Valley Glen. Two suspects broke into the home, but they, too, were gone when police arrived, the LAPD said.
Information about what was stolen and whether or not investigators believe there is a connection between any of the break-ins was not available.