Police helicopter scares off juveniles reportedly attempting to break into home

Three Los Angeles juveniles who tried to break in to a Burbank home Thursday morning got spooked by a police helicopter that responded to the scene after an alert neighbor called police.

Around 10:15 a.m., a resident saw the three boys knock on her neighbor’s front door, walking away and returning three different times, each time with no answer, said Burbank Police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.

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After the third set of knocks, the trio entered the side yard through a gate, after which one of the minors reportedly pried off a window screen.

Detectives nearby, along with the police helicopter, responded to the home – located on the 1900 block of North Rose Street – and found the suspects walking away. One of them had a screwdriver.

The boys later told police that they decided to leave after hearing the helicopter overhead. While none of them entered the home, officers discovered that two window screens had been pried off.

Ranging in age from 15 to 17, the juveniles – who were not identified because they are minors – were cited and released to their guardians.

Police urged residents to meet their neighbors and pay attention to who is coming in and out of their neighborhood.

“If you see something that doesn’t look right, call us,” Losacco said via email. “This call allowed us to respond and apprehend burglars from out of town and keep a family in our community from coming home to a ransacked house.”

To start a Neighborhood Watch group, call Burbank police at (818) 238-3235.

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Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek