Burglars ransack 16 apartments at Sherman Oaks building during fumigation

SHERMAN OAKS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Residents of a Sherman Oaks apartment building returned home after a scheduled fumigation to find 16 units had been burglarized, despite security being hired to watch the property.

Termites in one of the 21 apartments in a building on Moorpark Street near Fulton Avenue resulted in a three-day tented fumigation last month.

The owners hired 24/7 security to watch their building while residents had to stay elsewhere, but that wasn't enough because at 5 a.m. on the final day before they returned, a crew of burglars hit 16 of the units, stealing tens of thousands of dollars in valuables.

"They got in through all the open windows because you have to leave your windows open for the fumigation," said a resident named Taryn who didn't want to share her last name.

"A lot of what was taken was items like my wife's jewelry, a lot of my sentimental family heirlooms like watches that my grandfather, my parents had given me over the years," said a resident named Will, who also didn't want to share his last name. "They took a lot of our electronics such as computers, laptops.

"They also went through a lot of our financial documents. Things like that. When we got home, everything was a complete mess."

Devra Shear has lived there for 20 years. One of the companies she blames is the private security company.

"We hired them for 24/7 surveillance. That means they should have been walking around the whole time. We're supposed to feel safe and we don't feel safe here anymore," she told Eyewitness News.

"Home burglaries during fumigation - apartment, condo, burglaries - are common. They seem to be doing a little bit of an uptick," law enforcement expert Bruce Thomas said.

The homeowners are considering legal action. The LAPD is investigating.

"It's taken my wife and I a long time to recover that feeling of being at home and feeling like we can be there and feel safe," Will said.

Eyewitness News contacted the pest company, the fumigation company and the security company hired to monitor the building while the residents were forced out but did not receive a response.