LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles police are investigating a series of residential burglaries reported across the San Fernando Valley over the weekend, including an armed break-in in Granada Hills where three suspects allegedly stole property before fleeing in a black pickup truck.
The burglaries were reported in Granada Hills, Sylmar and Sun Valley, according to information released about the incidents.
The Los Angeles Police Department has not said whether investigators believe the cases are connected.
No arrests have been announced.
One of the most serious incidents occurred early Sunday morning on Newcastle Avenue in Granada Hills.
Police said three male suspects entered a residence and stole property during what authorities described as an armed home invasion.
Investigators believe the suspects fled the area in a black pickup truck.
Authorities have not released detailed descriptions of the three men, the type of weapon allegedly involved or an estimate of the value of the property taken.
No information was immediately available about whether anyone inside the residence was physically injured.
Granada Hills falls within the jurisdiction of the LAPD’s Devonshire Community Police Station, which also serves Chatsworth, Northridge and Porter Ranch.
The Devonshire station covers approximately 48 square miles of the northwest San Fernando Valley and operates burglary investigations and neighborhood crime-prevention programs within its patrol area.
Additional residential burglaries were reported over the weekend in Sylmar.
Sylmar is primarily served by the department’s Mission Community Police Station, whose jurisdiction also includes Arleta, North Hills, Mission Hills and Panorama City.
Police have not released specific addresses, suspect descriptions or loss estimates for the Sylmar incidents.
Burglaries were also reported in Sun Valley.
Parts of Sun Valley fall within the jurisdiction of the Foothill Community Police Station, while another portion of the neighborhood is served by the North Hollywood Community Police Station.
Authorities have not publicly detailed which Sun Valley cases were assigned to which investigative unit.
The scattered locations of the weekend burglaries have left some Valley residents increasingly concerned about residential property crime.
One Chatsworth resident said he regularly hears about break-ins across communities including Encino, Chatsworth and Porter Ranch.
A Northridge resident, meanwhile, said he does not consider the area unusually dangerous but remains attentive to his surroundings and property.
Police have not confirmed that the weekend incidents represent a coordinated burglary crew or a single pattern.
Investigators would need to compare evidence from the individual scenes — including surveillance video, suspect descriptions, vehicles, entry methods and stolen property — before determining whether cases are related.
No such connection has been announced.
The armed Granada Hills incident is also distinguishable from a burglary in which no one is present because the suspects allegedly encountered or threatened occupants during the crime.
Authorities have not yet released enough information to establish the exact sequence of events inside the Newcastle Avenue residence.
The San Fernando Valley has previously been targeted by organized residential burglary crews.
LAPD has described some groups as using so-called “knock-knock” methods, in which suspects approach a residence to determine whether anyone is home before entering through a side door, rear entrance, window or other access point.
In previous LAPD burglary investigations, detectives said organized crews have targeted single-family homes in the San Fernando Valley and searched residences for cash, jewelry, firearms and other valuables.
Police have not said the suspects in the latest cases used that method, however, and there is no confirmed connection between the weekend burglaries and previously identified burglary crews.
LAPD maintains a broader set of home crime-prevention resources for residents concerned about residential burglaries.
Among the department’s recommendations are securing doors and windows, maintaining adequate exterior lighting and using alarms or surveillance systems where possible.
LAPD also advises residents to avoid creating obvious signs that a home is unoccupied, particularly during extended absences.
In its burglary-prevention guidance, the department emphasizes that doors, frames, locks, windows and other possible entry points should be reinforced and routinely inspected.
Those measures cannot eliminate the risk of burglary but can make unauthorized entry more difficult and provide investigators with additional evidence if a break-in occurs.
Neighborhood surveillance footage may be especially important in the current investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed whether police obtained video showing the black pickup believed to have been used in the Granada Hills case or whether license-plate information was captured.
Investigators have also not said whether stolen property from any of the weekend incidents has been recovered.
Residents who observe a burglary in progress should not attempt to confront suspects, particularly if a weapon may be involved.
LAPD directs people facing an immediate emergency to call 911.
Non-emergency crimes and suspicious activity can be reported through the department’s local station system or at 1-877-ASK-LAPD (1-877-275-5273).
The department has not announced a dedicated tip line specifically for the weekend burglary series.
No suspects have been publicly identified.
Whether the Granada Hills, Sylmar and Sun Valley cases are connected remains under investigation.
