More crime reported in the Valley, including robbery at Yummy Donuts and break-in at food store
In the city of San Fernando, 10 businesses were either burglarized or vandalized in a two-day span to start August.
GRANADA HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- On a normal Friday afternoon, a casually dressed man walked into a Yummy Donuts in Granada Hills, asking to buy hundreds of dollars' worth of lottery scratchers - with zero intention of paying.
"He looked like a little shaky," said owner Chantha Heng. "Like he was going to do something, and he got a gun and said, 'Give me more tickets,' and then I said, 'Holy [expletive] a gun,' and I ran to the back."
The incident happened at the location on San Fernando Mission Boulevard around 1:30 p.m. The husband-and-wife owners ran away, just as quickly the suspect sprinted out the front door with $600 worth of stolen lottery scratchers.
"I was so scared for a moment," said Heng.
Police said officers were able to get the suspect's license plate number from surveillance footage so they were able to track him down.
Officers then waited outside of his home. The suspect eventually came out, prompting a short chase, police said. Officers found the suspect back at his home where he was taken into custody.
Police said a replica firearm was found at his home.
For many, it's been a scary summer in the San Fernando Valley.
In Encino, Tarzana and Woodland Hills, there's been more than a dozen home burglaries the last month, many happening overnight and some while people are home.
Businesses have been targeted, too. On Wednesday, a high-end sneaker store in Encino was burglarized. The thieves left in such a hurry, they took off leaving a pile of cash in the road.
In the city of San Fernando, 10 businesses were either burglarized or vandalized in a two-day span to start August.
Health food store Flor De Lima was one of them. That same store was broken into again at 1 a.m. Saturday, making three total incidents in just a week and a half.
The first two were cases of vandalism but the third was theft.
"They did come in, broke our door, one of our side doors and did steal one of our safes from the shop," said an employee.
Law enforcement says compared to last year, crime in the Valley, which include robberies and burglaries, are down in 2024. But if you ask any of the dozens of victims from just the last few weeks, they're quick to say it certainly doesn't feel that way.
"I feel very disappointed, because I've been in the city of San Fernando my entire life and I've seen how things have been drastically changing, and not for the best," said the employee.
