14 Home Break-Ins in Ladera Heights in September

Residents of Ladera Heights are demanding faster police response after 14 home break-ins occurred in September.

NBC4 Investigates data confirms the spike in crime within the unincorporated community located between Culver City and Inglewood. The area contains approximately 7,000 households.

Joshua Kissi, a local resident, witnessed suspected burglars fleeing a neighbor's property with their arms full two weeks ago. He described the suspects as young men, likely 18 or 19 years old, based on their stature and behavior. Kissi is currently organizing the community to increase vigilance.

Another neighbor, who declined identification to protect his family, described a burglary in December where suspects were arrested but released due to their minor status. He stated that thieves took all his jewelry, watches, glasses, and his wife's bags. The same suspect allegedly targeted four to six other buildings in the vicinity. The neighbor's home was burglarized again in September.

The victim noted that burglars appear to have a 10-minute window to ransack homes before leaving. He suggested this timeframe indicates authorities take too long to arrive on scene. Summer Parr, another neighbor, said some sections of the community face burglaries several times a week. She described the mood as everyone being on edge.

Community members packed a meeting last week with LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Sheriff Robert Luna. Mitchell stated that law enforcement will focus on the issue while residents harden their communities. She noted that Sheriff Luna heard the residents' concerns about response time and will pay close attention to the metric.

The community already funds private patrols and has a nearby Sheriff's Department substation. Despite this, neighbors complained that deputies take too long to respond to active burglaries. The meeting included a presentation from the Sheriff's Department on methods to make homes less susceptible to break-ins.