More visible police patrols, mounted police and air support are being deployed in the San Fernando Valley after a spate of home burglaries in the area led to nine burglaries in a 10-day period.
“We all have zero, zero tolerance for what’s happening and what’s happening in the Valley,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday afternoon. “Today, we are once again mobilizing resources and acting strategically to stop these latest thefts and apprehend the criminals.”
On Friday, Bass directed police to increase patrols on Ventura Boulevard. Following his announcement, two more thefts occurred in the area.
On Monday, the mayor appeared alongside L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell and offered new details about increased patrols.
Bass and McDonnell said they hope the increased police presence will curb burglaries and lead to arrests, but they also emphasized that overall burglaries are down in the area.
According to McDonnell, burglaries are down 48% in the Valley Bureau so far this year compared to last year.
“I think when you’re a victim of a theft, it matters that your police department is doing everything they can to keep you safe,” McDonnell said.
The police chief said that in addition to high-visibility patrols and air support, the department will also involve special units and detectives.
McDonnell said many of those resources will come from the LA Police Department’s Metro Division. It’s not clear how long the additional resources will remain in the area, he said, adding that if they are needed in Downtown L.A. they could be shuffled around or transferred to other functions as needed.
“To be able to tell you right now how long a period it will be — two weeks, four weeks — I can’t tell because it will depend,” McDonnell said. “If we turn away from other crime problems, particularly violent crime, it will impact our ability to maintain the level of resources we have in the long run.”
McDonnell said that no matter how long they last, the department was hoping the increased resources would help make arrests.
“Despite budget constraints and resource challenges,” McDonnell said, “we are actively combating, tracking and arresting these theft gangs with all our energy and resources.”
The announcement on Monday came shortly after Bass released his $14.9 billion budget for 2026-27, which called for the hiring of 510 police officers, enough to maintain current staffing levels in the department and cover retirements and resignations.
“We need enough officers to respond quickly and strategically when patterns of crime are uncovered,” Bass said.
In recent burglaries in the valley, some occurred nearly a mile apart, and others were reported to have occurred just minutes apart.
As part of the directive, the LAPD plans to use mobile license plate readers around high-risk areas and hold weekly theft meetings with detectives.
The first known incident is believed to have occurred on April 10 in the 13000 block of Davana Terrace in Sherman Oaks, but it was reported to police the next day. It is reported that the thieves were wearing all black clothes during the theft.
The next day, LAPD officials said, a resident was attacked when he confronted two or three burglars inside his home.
Officers were called to the 7100 block of Macapa Drive in Hollywood Hills at 9:30 p.m., where the resident said he was approached by thieves. He reportedly wore a gray hoodie and black pants and fled in a gray Hyundai car, LA Police Officer Charles Miller told The Times.
A third theft was reported at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 11700 block of Hesby Street in Valley Village, and less than an hour later, officers were called to another theft in the 12700 block of Hatteras Street, about a mile and a half away.
In both incidents, the thieves were gone by the time authorities arrived.
Thieves wearing gray hoodies are also believed to be behind the incident that happened Wednesday in the 6800 block of Vanscoy Avenue in Valley Glen. That same day, officers also responded to the 12600 block of Heron Street in Sylmar, where thieves broke down a back door to gain entry.
On Thursday, three men wearing black clothing and masks broke into a home in the 11900 block of Wood Ranch Road.
Saturday night in Toluca Lake, thieves pried open a window on the second floor of a home in the 4900 block of Strohm Avenue. A few hours later, at 3:30 a.m., LAPD officers were called to another theft in the 3100 block of Lake Hollywood Drive, the ninth known incident in 10 days.
No connection has been determined between the burglaries, but their proximity and the short time period between the incidents has raised concern among city officials.
On Monday, McDonnell said certain patterns of incidents have been noted by detectives and officers.
“These are sophisticated, organized teams, some of which are international,” McDonnell said. “Cases like this require patience, time and, often, extensive follow-up.”
McDonnell said the department has encountered gang members from South Los Angeles who have committed similar burglaries, as well as gangs of South American nationals.
Some staff have displayed similar tactics, he said, such as placing video cameras in the front of homes to determine when residents are away, using jammers to disrupt Wi-Fi-based security systems and cameras, as well as using ladders to get inside homes through second-floor rooms.
Crews typically target expensive purses, non-floor safes, cash, guns and anything that can be sold quickly, he said.
