Three burglars impersonated Los Angeles Police officers and called for residents to open the door to their San Fernando Valley home this week before breaking in.
The incident was reported Dec. 27 just before 10 p.m., according to police officials.
Three men wearing dark hoodies approached a home—in Lake Balboa on Forbes Avenue near Sherman Way—yelled out “LAPD” and called for someone inside to open the door before smashing in a rear window and a sliding door, police said.
The home’s surveillance video shows three masked men wearing black walking along the side of the home before breaking in.
Only one person was inside the home at the time—an Arizona woman who was house-sitting for her daughter.
“The bedroom door burst open and there’s a flashlight and a gentleman saying ‘LAPD, LAPD’ and then I hopped up … and he pulled the door closed and took off,” the woman, who gave her name only as Pamela, told ABC7 News.
She said she saw the men run out of the house and hop over the backyard fence, carrying her purse, which authorities later said contained $75 cash and other small items.
They also said they believed the burglars thought no one was home.
“It’s evident that the suspects did not anticipate the presence of the victim at home,” an LAPD spokesperson said. “Hence, officers filed a ‘hot prowl’ report, signifying the heightened risk associated with burglaries occurring when residents are present.”
At present, the suspects remain at large, and the LAPD is actively investigating the incident.
Authorities are urging residents in the Lake Balboa area to exercise vigilance and promptly report any suspicious activities to law enforcement.
They are also advising residents to exercise caution when confronted with individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers and to verify their credentials if uncertain.
