At least eight people have been charged in what Los Angeles police have described as a crime ring that committed a series of residential robberies throughout the city.
Last week, officers carried out what LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell described as a “major operation” by serving simultaneous search warrants on the burglary suspects. The suspects arrested had ties to the Rolling 30s and 55 Neighborhood gangs, McDonnell said at a news conference on Monday.
“The burglary crew and the crimes the targets of this operation were members of what was referred to as the Rich Roll Burglary Crew, responsible for 92 residential burglaries in the city of Los Angeles,” according to McDonnell.
Investigators believe the break-ins began as early as 2022 and have occurred throughout the city, including West Los Angeles, Pacific Hollywood, Wilshire, North Hollywood, West Valley, northeast Devon Sure, Foothill, and Topanga. This group is not believed to be linked to a recent string of burglaries in the Encino area, officials said Monday.
According to McDonnell, a breakthrough occurred in February when officers chased three suspects in a vehicle they recognized as having been used in two burglaries. The three people were arrested on February 12, and officers gathered information that led to the identification of additional potential suspects, according to the chief.
While serving warrants, McDonnell said officers discovered tools for burglaries, several firearms, some of which had been reported stolen, and large amounts of ammunition. Other stolen items were discovered, including jewelry, luxury handbags, and credit cards.
McDonnell described the crew’s methods as “sophisticated,” claiming that they installed cameras in flower beds to monitor a victim’s daily movements and used jammers to disable Wi-Fi cameras and security systems.
Prosecutors will seek the maximum penalty for the suspects, including life sentences for those with prior convictions, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters.
“These are not crimes of need; these are crimes of greed,” Hochman told reporters.
According to Hochman, eight of those recently arrested are charged with burglary and possession of controlled substances. Two of the suspects, who were already in custody prior to the operation last week, are facing attempted murder charges.
The district attorney stated that police were able to arrest “fencers,” or people who were selling stolen goods through various channels such as pawn shops or online marketplaces. Hochman added that the online marketplaces are cooperating with the investigations.
“When they get the fencers, they go after the actual burglars and residential robbers that stole the stuff in the first place,” Hochman told me.
Another 45 burglaries are still being investigated, he said.
Officials did not identify any specific victims thought to be targeted by the suspects, but the Los Angeles area has seen several high-profile break-ins at celebrity homes in recent years.
This month, the homes of actor Brad Pitt and singer Lionel Richie were broken into, prompting arrests.
Robbers have targeted high-profile figures such as actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, former reality television star Teddi Mellencamp, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as well as teammates Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman.
