Ladera Heights: Residents Press Officials on Burglary Response Times

Residents of Ladera Heights gathered for a packed community meeting last week to address a surge in home break-ins. The group met with Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Sheriff Robert Luna to discuss response times and prevention strategies.

NBC4 Investigates data indicates that 14 homes were burglarized in the unincorporated community during September. Ladera Heights is located between Culver City and Inglewood and contains approximately 7,000 households.

One homeowner who was robbed in December and again in September described the impact of the intrusions. He stated that thieves took jewelry, watches, glasses, and bags. The victim noted that some suspects from the December incident were arrested but released because they were minors. He believes deputies take too long to arrive, giving criminals about 10 minutes to ransack a home.

Joshua Kissi, a neighbor whose home is surrounded by victims, saw suspected burglars fleeing a nearby property two weeks ago. He described the suspects as appearing to be 18 or 19 years old based on their stature and behavior. Kissi has been urging neighbors to stay vigilant.

Another resident, Summer Parr, said some sections of the neighborhood experienced burglaries several times a week. She described the community mood as tense, with incidents continuing week after week.

Supervisor Mitchell said burglary rates can drop if law enforcement focuses more on the area and residents improve their home security. Sheriff Luna indicated he would pay close attention to the response time concerns raised by the crowd.

The community currently funds private patrols, though a Sheriff's Department substation is nearby. Officials provided information on how to make homes less susceptible to break-ins during the meeting.