South Bay residents concerned over recent string of home burglaries: 'Something needs to done'

PLAYA DEL REY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Residents in Playa del Rey and Westchester are sharing concerns over what appears to be a rise in home burglaries.

In a recent incident, surveillance video captured two burglars stuffing their getaway car with stolen items and fleeing a Playa del Rey neighborhood. Homeowner Paul Skipper said at least four homes on his street have been targeted in the last six months.

"I just don't want to live where you never know what's going to happen from day to day," he said. "Whether your house is going to be hit or it's going to be a neighbor's. I don't want to live that way."

Skipper said the thieves stole 10 guns out of his gun rack along with other items. He said some of the guns were gifts from friends given to him before they passed away.

"The police came and took a report, they dusted the place for fingerprints, they came up with nothing," said Skipper. "Their thought is it was done by professionals. They were wearing gloves."

A few houses down, the Lopez family had their back door broken into by thieves in early December.

The burglars took sunglasses, high fashion purses, and caused several thousand dollars in damage.

"The damage was extensive," said Chris Lopez. "The insurance had to pay, just for windows alone, $17,500, roughly ... just for the windows."

Now, neighbors are starting to band together to stop the recent string of burglaries.

"We have to find these people," said Imelda Lopez. "If we don't stop it, they're going to continue. Something needs to done."

The Los Angeles Police Department said there is a neighborhood watch event scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 24, and a lead investigator will attend. Meanwhile, anyone with information on any of the burglaries is urged to contact police.