Los Angeles, Ca
Burglary crew dressed as construction workers hit Southern California home
A crew of burglars disguised as construction workers, who reportedly used wifi-jamming technology, broke into a Studio City home and made off with thousands in jewelry, watches and other valuables, leaving the family distraught and shaken.
According to the homeowner, who did not want to be identified, the burglary happened May 31 sometime after 1 p.m. and before 3:45 p.m. on Dona Dolores Place.
Home surveillance cameras captured one of the suspects dressed as a construction worker and wearing a medical face covering, with homeowner saying the thieves broke into the home through the main bedroom’s sliding glass door.
The homeowner told KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade that she received a call from her security company informing her that her home’s motion sensors were going off. She told them she’d check her cameras and get back to them.
That’s when she said she saw her two sons coming home.
“I was looking at the camera and I saw them running outside,” she explained. “I said, ‘What happened?’ They said that somebody was inside, but nobody was inside. They already were gone.”
The crooks ransacked several rooms, left an enormous mess and got away with tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry, purses and other valuables, some of them irreplaceable, according to the homeowner.
-
Damage seen from a burglary in Studio City on May 31, 2024. (viewer photo) -
Damage seen from a burglary in Studio City on May 31, 2024. (viewer photo) -
Damage seen from a burglary in Studio City on May 31, 2024. (viewer photo) -
Possibly one of the suspects’ vehicles captured on surveillance cameras before the May 31, 2024, break-in in Studio City. (viewer photo) -
Possibly one of the suspects’ vehicles captured on surveillance cameras before the May 31, 2024, break-in in Studio City. (viewer photo)
“It’s really hard. It’s not easy what we’re going through,” she said.
Similar to other home burglaries in Southern California, the homeowner said the thieves used wifi-jamming technology to knockout surveillance cameras, even dismantling some of them, as well as the home’s alarm system.
“They took out our alarm system and put it inside the sink and they opened up the water on top of it,” she said. “We had a couple of Ring cameras, and they threw them in the pool.”
The suspects’ cars were apparently captured on surveillance cameras before the break-in, driving back and forth in front of the home for several hours leading up to the burglary.
One of the vehicles is described as a white Nissan Rogue and the other a black Tesla, both with tinted windows.
The homeowner said this is the fourth burglary in the neighborhood in the past few weeks.
“I hope they catch them,” she said. “I know we’re not going to get our belongings back, but I just want justice.”
It’s unclear if any of the break-ins are tied to burglary tourism rings that enter the country on tourist visas with the intent of coming here to commit these types of crimes.
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
-
A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoJury says it is deadlocked in trial of man accused in Palisades Fire
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoScene active as police shoot, kill man on Detroit’s west side
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoCivil grand jury report warns of wildfire risk at SF’s Glen Canyon Park
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoIvory Coast advances at World Cup, how to buy Ivory Coast tickets
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoMen used fake credentials to enter Brazil vs. Scotland match at Miami Stadium, deputies say
-
Boston, MA2 hours ago3 arrested after trying to break into downtown building, Boston police say – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoRTD to bring back BroncosRide bus service after 5-year suspension
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoFOLLOWUP: Sound Transit Board finalizes $400+ million spending installment for West Seattle light rail
