Westchester, Playa Vista neighborhoods hit with dozens of home burglaries, vehicle break-ins

People who live in Westchester and Playa Vista are living on edge after 75 residential burglaries in a three-month span in addition to 50 car break-ins this past weekend.

“What can we do? I was robbed, my neighbor was robbed, another neighbor up the street was robbed,” one homeowner said to LAPD detectives in the Westchester Playa Neighborhood Council meeting Tuesday evening.

Dozens of residents showed up to speak out about the crime.

“It's going to continue to fall apart until we as homeowners take our community back. We need to work with police,” expressed Westchester Homeowner Lavette Bowles.

The Travassos have been targeted twice while home.

“Three guys jumped the back wall, came into the back. I hear the glass breaking. I go to the bedroom. I see a silhouette scream, chase them out,” Richard Travasso recalled of an October break-in.

In a second break-in last week, his wife had taken the car to work. The driveway was empty, and their surveillance video showed a car outside the house. Then a man approached to knock on the door, even though they have a Ring doorbell. He said when he answered the door, the man ran.

“We took an Uber because we left all the cars, so that looks like someone's at home. We can't even leave with cars because the moment you take off and go, I think they notice it,” he said.

At the meeting, LAPD confirmed there were a total of 91 burglaries in the area from October to December, 75 were at residential homes. 

Residents shared several home surveillance videos with NBCLA of thieves targeting homes all over the neighborhood.

Saturday, 51 cars were broken into in a six-hour span overnight. The lead detective on the case told residents he’d been working since Saturday morning and had obtained about 10 surveillance videos showing two men who appeared to be between 16 to 20 years old.

Residents pushed back, asking questions about the police response. Police responded to at least one call after midnight to take a report of the cars broken into, but the crime spree continued across several blocks until 6 in the morning.

The detective said at least two residents confronted the men, but neither called 911.

“We know that the LAPD is kind of spread thin,” John Logsdon, Public Safety Chair of the Neighborhood Council for Westchester Playa told NBCLA. “We're kind of up on this hill right next to LAX, so it'd be nice if there was more patrols and then just a faster response time.”

Several officers and detectives spoke at the meeting to assure residents they are actively investigating.

“There's usually three to four. They're wearing hoods, gloves, masks, and they come in all colors and sizes,” said Pacific Division Burglary Detective Robyn Salazar, “So when you see a car full of people with hoods, masks and gloves driving down your street or parked in front of a house, please call us.”

They also advised residents to have audible alarms as one of the most effectives deterrents for burglars.

Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD Pacific Division detectives at 310-482-6367or CrimeStoppers.