CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Thieves run away with safe from Woodland Hills home
2 San Fernando Valley burglaries under investigation
One was at a home in Woodland Hills where the suspects were caught on camera and the other at a pharmacy where the burglars smashed their way in.
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating yet another home burglary in the San Fernando Valley.
One of the latest incidents was caught on a Good Samaritan's Tesla camera.
Meanwhile, in Encino, police are also investigating a break-in at a family-owned pharmacy, following a similar pattern of attacks on smaller pharmacies.
What we know:
According to police, Oakdale Pharmacy located in the 5300 block of Balboa Boulevard was burglarized just after 2 a.m., with suspects smashing glass and taking away what they could carry.
Also over the weekend, on Sunday just after 7 p.m., two masked men were seen leaving a home on Canoga south of Ventura Boulevard, carrying a safe.
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Video from a Tesla camera shows the suspects loading the safe into the trunk of a black Mercedes-Benz, which then headed north on Canoga.
That witness in the Tesla followed the suspects and other bystanders who saw what was happening called 911.
The Mercedes collided into a white Prius and three suspects ran out of the vehicle, according to witnesses.
What we don't know:
It's unknown what exactly was stolen from Oakdale Pharmacy, pending a full inventory by the pharmacist.
It's also unclear what was in the safe that was stolen from the Woodland Hills home.
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Suspect information in either case was not immediately released.
What they're saying:
A witness described the chaotic scene during the Woodland Hills getaway, stating, "A Mercedes four-door comes flying down the road at a very high excessive speed. We put our hands up in the air like ‘what are you doing?’ Looks like he was going to make a U-turn to come back to us. That's what we thought. But there was a Tesla that had apparently seen what had happened and was chasing him. He made a U-turn and apparently tried to maybe go after the Tesla, but he actually hit a white Prius."
What's next:
The LAPD has announced an "all hands on deck" crime suppression strategy in response to the recent wave of burglaries, including a double murder that occurred during a break-in in Encino.
This strategy involves increased patrols, foot beats, air support, and mounted patrols.
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The LAPD urges anyone with information regarding these burglaries to contact them.
The Source: This report compiles information directly from on-scene observations, including specific details about the burglaries, a direct quote from a witness to the Woodland Hills incident, and official statements from the Los Angeles Police Department regarding their crime suppression strategy.