Four men, including a father and son, have been arrested in connection with a string of nearly 20 "reach-in" burglaries of homes in the Westlake district, police said Wednesday.
The suspects -- identified as 46-year-old Samuel Ruiz, his 28-year-old son Ruben Ruiz, 25-year-old Francisco Hernandez and 41-year-old Abelardo Camacho -- were arrested last week, Capt. Al Lopez said at a morning news conference at the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Station, where he is commanding officer.
They are suspected in 19 burglaries that took place in the early morning hours between August and October in an area bounded by Occidental Boulevard to the west, Alvarado Street to the east, Temple Street to the north and Fourth Street to the south, Lopez said.
Rampart Station Lt. Ryan Rabbett said the suspects would typically cut a screen or remove a window and reach inside a targeted home and take whatever was within their grasp, mostly small electronics, money and cash.
According to sheriff's inmate records, Camacho was released from custody on Sunday after posting $50,000 bail, Samuel Ruiz was being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $20,000 bail, Ruben Ruiz was jailed at the same facility on a no-bail hold and Hernandez was being jailed at the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, also on a no-bail hold.
The large amount of property leads detectives to believe there are additional victims who did not report their homes being burglarized.
Anyone who believes they may be victims of the alleged burglary crew was urged to call the LAPD at (877) LAPD-24-7.
