WOODLAND HILLS—On Sunday, March 23, at approximately 7 p.m., three masked men broke into a house in the 2300 block of Irwin Street while two residents were at home. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the suspects woke up a resident who was sleeping, zip-tied, and questioned him about a coin business he once owned.
A woman who reportedly confronted the thieves was locked in the bedroom with the zip-tied victim. The home was ransacked, and a safe was stolen from the premises. The victims were not certain what they had stored inside the safe.
The victims did not call the police for four-five hours after being locked in the room indicating to police that they did not think it was safe to call. It is not clear how long it took the burglars to get the safe out of the home. Police arrived at around 10:00 p.m.
Reports indicate that on March 4, LAPD responded to a call that occurred three miles away from this burglary. Similarly, three victims were at home when the thieves broke in. They bound all of them and locked them in a closet while looting their home.
The suspects in both robberies are still at large. Residents are encouraged to stay alert, be aware of their surroundings, and if suspicious people are nearby, err on the side of caution, and call the police.
By Sharon