Police ask for help in identifying jewels tied to ‘knock knock’ burglaries
Police officials are asking victims of a recent rash of home burglaries across the San Fernando Valley and into Glendale to help identify more than 3,000 high-end jewelry pieces and watches recovered from a Beverly Hills home that they believe are tied to the crime spree.
Police have said the burglars belonged to a criminal group made up of South Los Angeles gang members that was targeting the affluent neighborhoods.
Some of the recovered property could belong to Glendale residents whose homes were burglarized in April, police said.
“Some of the suspects we have had were working the entire Valley area,” Glendale Police Capt. Carl Povilaitis said.
Glendale and Los Angeles police detectives have been working together as part of a task force set up in response to the rash of burglaries.
Los Angeles police said they learned about the stash of jewelry and watches inside the Beverly Hills home while investigating the crime ring. They are now asking burglary victims to identify the alleged loot through photographs posted on the LAPD’s website.
The cache of pricey watches and jewelry includes strings of pearls, pendants, earrings and diamond-encrusted rings, bracelets and necklaces. (They can be viewed here.)
Some jewelry was tied to burglaries that occurred up to two years ago in Encino and Tarzana, or even longer in areas throughout Southern California.
The number of burglaries in Glendale has subsided since the spate of break-ins in April, said Povilaitis, who attributed the drop to increased police presence and more vigilant residents.
Identification of the jewelry, he said, could make for a stronger case in court.
The items can be viewed on the LAPD’s West Valley website at www.lapdonline.org/west_valley_community_police_station.
To inquire about the stolen valuables, call LAPD at (213) 356-3700, email the West Valley Burglary Division at 27764@lapd.lacity.org or fax questions to (818) 374-7733.
-- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News
Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA