A surge in “break-in burglary” crimes in certain parts of Los Angeles has prompted residents to exercise caution while away during the holidays. Particularly, Koreatown has been identified as the third most vulnerable neighborhood in the city for burglaries.
According to statistics from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cited by Crosstown on August 7, there were 1,183 burglaries recorded as of June. This represents an 8.6 percent decrease from the same month in the previous year (1,294), but a 12.5 percent increase from the same month in 2019 (1,052).
Downtown LA recorded the highest number of burglaries in the first six months of the year, with 397 incidents reported.
Koreatown L.A. experienced the third-highest number of burglaries, totaling 220 cases, trailing behind Sherman Oaks (221), followed by Encino (193), Hollywood (186), Westlake (184), and Woodland Hills (182).
The Crosstown highlighted that there are spikes in crime across the city, with thieves targeting homes in specific neighborhoods that have witnessed a noticeable surge in criminal activity in recent months.
For instance, Granada Hills had not experienced a monthly burglary rate exceeding 20 cases in over two years. However, there was an upswing late last year, with 31 and 32 incidents in March and April of this year, respectively.
A similar trend is evident in the San Fernando Valley. Encino had not surpassed 36 incidents over the past three years, but in November and December, there were 44 and 60 cases respectively. Sun Valley, which previously peaked at 27 incidents over two and a half years, reported 37 cases in January.
Chief Michel Moore of the LAPD mentioned during the June 27 Police Commission meeting that spikes in certain neighborhoods could be attributed to organized groups of thieves from South America. These groups are sometimes referred to as “Chilean bandits.” Moore elaborated, stating that individuals from Chile travel to the city on tourist visas, primarily with the intention of burglarizing upscale areas and expensive homes.
Moore also emphasized that the losses resulting from these burglaries could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Media reports have pointed out that in some instances, the criminal groups employ heavy-duty tools to break into bolted-down or wall-mounted safes.
Simultaneously, a series of burglaries have impacted Korean American residents at a downtown L.A. senior apartment complex, which houses a significant number of Korean seniors.
Residents reported that at least seven burglaries have taken place at the Van Nuys Apartments since last month. Thieves allegedly cut locks or damaged doors to steal household valuables and cash.
One resident disclosed that she had $200,000 worth of cash stolen from her safe while she was out of town.
Sonia Jun, a resident, expressed her concerns, saying, “Burglaries typically occur around 2 or 3 in the morning. I often hear someone knocking on the door and then running away.” She added, “The environment is so unsafe; I cannot tolerate it. When I approach the management office to voice my complaints, their response is simply, ‘Contact the police.’ While the police do come out to file a report, they do not take any actions.”
BY SUAH JANG [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
