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Residents living in fear amid repeat burglaries
Residents in Beverly Grove and the neighboring Fairfax District say repeated burglaries and home invasions are leaving families fearful and considering moving away.
LOS ANGELES - Residents in Beverly Grove and the neighboring Fairfax District say they are fed up with repeated burglaries and home invasions.
"It was very, very, scary, and I sometimes don't feel safe in my own home since then," Delaney said.
She recalls confronting several masked intruders attempting to break into her home about a year and a half ago.
"I thought it was possibly my children and husband, and then realized it was three masked men smashing the Fleetwood sliding doors to my back patio," Delaney said.
She says things haven't improved since. Now she's speaking up on behalf of other residents in Beverly Grove and the neighboring Fairfax District.
"I think there are a few streets where there are multiple burglaries and home invasions happening on almost a weekly basis," Delaney said.
LAPD says last week it responded to a burglary at a residence off N. La Jolla Avenue in Beverly Grove.
Then in May, a frightening break-in occurred. Multiple victims, including young children, were inside a home along Oakwood Avenue when a group of suspects forced their way in.
"We feel like we need to have some support from the city because these people are coming in and breaking into homes," a resident told FOX 11 in May.
"Some properties are being hit multiple times too, so the same families and the same homeowners are feeling threatened and unsafe, and we're just not sure what to do anymore," Delaney said.
Hilary says that's why some neighbors have contemplated moving out of the area, while others are left with tens of thousands of dollars in damages that suspects leave behind.
Some residents believe more officers on the ground could help the situation.
"I think it's really the lack of funding for LAPD and the lack of officers to help keep neighborhoods and families safe right now," Delaney said.
Meanwhile, Chief McDonnell earlier this year defended the department's performance overall, stating, "homicides are down to levels we haven't seen since 1966."
Additionally, the L.A. City Council approved $2.7 million to hire 130 additional LAPD recruits, bringing the total expected hires for this fiscal year to roughly 410, a move Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell advocated for.
FOX 11 reached out to Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky's office, which represents this area. She released the following statement:
"This is an issue the Councilwoman and our office take incredibly seriously, and one we have been working closely with Beverly Grove residents, the neighborhood council, and LAPD to address for several months. We meet regularly with law enforcement and are meeting tonight with LAPD and the District Attorney’s Office. LAPD has assigned a detective to the most recent burglary, and several investigations remain active.
Our office has also funded LAPD overtime patrols and Automated License Plate Reader cameras, prioritized streetlight repairs, and connected residents with LAPD Senior Lead Officers. We will keep working with the community and law enforcement to prevent further crimes, improve public safety, and hold those responsible accountable."