By City News Service
The Glendale, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments teamed up to arrest 13 alleged members of an organized burglary ring in December, authorities said.
Officials said Friday that the arrests were carried out by the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Los Angeles Division in collaboration with Beverly Hills Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
The LAPD released the following details:
On Dec. 19, Glendale police located an alleged burglary group responsible for multiple burglaries in that city.
“Officers observed three suspects enter a vehicle, wearing similar clothing consistent with descriptions previously provided. The officers began to drive in the direction of the area where the burglaries had occurred,” authorities said. “Glendale PD officers followed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. One suspect was detained and the other two fled on foot but were quickly apprehended. All three suspects were arrested for residential burglary.”
On Dec. 27, West Los Angeles area patrol officers responded to a radio call to meet BHPD officers in the area of Coldwater Canyon Drive south of Mulholland Drive to assist with a burglary investigation where approximately five suspects fled on foot. “The suspects’ vehicle was described as a black Ford Explorer. A perimeter was established, and three suspects were taken into custody after an extensive K-9 unit search,” police said. “The … vehicle was impounded, and over $1 million worth of stolen designer purses, clothing, watches and jewelry, belonging to the victim, was recovered.”
On Dec. 28, West Los Angeles detectives, along with Metropolitan Division officers, identified a residence where the suspects allegedly had been recently staying and stashing property.
“A search of the suspect’s residence and vehicles resulted in the discovery of additional stolen designer purses, watches, jewelry and additional evidence linking the suspects to multiple crimes,” police said. “Three suspects were arrested on this incident. The case was submitted to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office where all three suspects were filed on for one count of residential burglary.”
On Dec. 30, West Los Angeles area officers responded to a radio call of burglary suspects at a residence near Hutton Drive and Melinda Drive. Police said additional information was provided by the BHPD regarding a 2018 white Mercedes GLS used in an additional burglary in their area. “The white Mercedes GLS was located near the area and a female inside the vehicle was detained,” police said. “A perimeter was established, and four suspects were taken into custody after an extensive K-9 Unit search. All four suspects were arrested and booked for conspiracy to commit burglary.”
The LAPD added that over the last few weeks, detectives have discovered evidence connecting the arrests to a large organized burglary ring allegedly responsible for “a multitude of cases throughout the greater Los Angeles area.”
Detectives from the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Burbank and Glendale police departments are working in concert along with additional affected agencies to identify the remaining members of the group and to secure additional charges for the crimes they are responsible for committing.
“Detectives have identified and returned most all the recovered stolen property to the rightful owners but hope to discover additional victims’ property through their continuing investigative efforts,” the LAPD added.
Anyone with information connected to the crimes is encouraged to call detectives at (213) 216-5308 or, during non-business hours or on weekends (877) 527-3247. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or go directly to lacrimestoppers.org.
First published in the January 20 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
