Homeowners in Claremont have reported seeing a series of burglaries recently, and one victim who caught her break-in on security cameras is seeking the public’s help to find the suspects.
The victim says her home, located off of Padua Avenue, was hit on Oct. 12 around 7 p.m. She and her boyfriend told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff that they wish to remain anonymous for fear that the group would try to target them a second time.
However, they said they wanted to show the systematic and careful way the three suspects maneuvered through their home, completing the burglary within 9 minutes.
In the footage, the suspects are heard before they’re seen, initially entering by jumping over the front gate and crashing a small hole in a glass door in the backyard.
Then, three suspects are seen walking through the downstairs area of the home with backpacks and suitcases before immediately making their way up to the bedroom.
In the bedroom, the footage shows the three suspects stripping the bed of the sheets to use as a makeshift sack.
Then, they grab a plethora of expensive handbags, scarves and sunglasses, put the contraband into the sack, and throw it over the balcony to retrieve on their way out.
For a split second, one of the suspects makes eye contact with the camera.
“It felt like maybe we were being targeted for some reason or another,” said the homeowner. “We don’t know if we were followed, or if they were just being opportunistic.”
The victim reached out to KTLA after seeing coverage of the crime tourism rings plaguing parts of L.A. and the Santa Clarita Valley. She said she wonders whether the band of thieves is expanding their reach to the west.
“It’s a shock,” she said. “You obviously feel violated, and scared because what could have happened if we were home?”
The homeowner said she saw the thieves take off in a 2-door hatchback.
Claremont police said there have recent burglaries in the area, and they have a couple of open investigations.
The department said people should always be aware of their surroundings and call 911 if they believe they are being followed.