N. Hollywood Man Held in Storage-Locker Burglaries

Detectives investigating a rash of thefts from San Fernando Valley self-storage lockers have arrested a North Hollywood man and recovered about $100,000 worth of property from his home and two garages, authorities said Wednesday.

Police recovered “several truckloads” of television sets, video recorders, computers, sporting goods, firearms and tools that they found stuffed in the house and garages of Anthony Michael Stubbins, 33, an unemployed telephone repairman, in the 11800 block of Hamlin Street, according to Lt. Doug Collisson.

He said the investigation leading to Stubbins’ arrest early Tuesday was prompted by reports from Valley police divisions that the number of burglaries from self-storage lockers had been increasing, especially in North Hollywood, Northridge and Chatsworth. Detectives believe that Stubbins, who was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property, burglarized more than 100 of the lockers, he said.

“We believe he’d rent a locker that would get him an entrance card, and then he would come in periodically and hit 15 to 16 at a time, and sometimes more,” Collisson said. “We’ve had as many as 40 victims on one report. And there are others that we feel went unreported.”

Self-storage lockers are vulnerable, although burglaries generally have not been a problem in the past, Collisson said.

Most storage facilities employ roving patrols and have electronic gates to increase security and have strong hasps and locks securing individual storage lockers, he said.

The property hauled from Stubbins’ home will be presented to renters of storage lockers for possible identification in about two weeks, Collisson said.