Burglars continue to target Glendale homes

Thieves burglarized another upscale home Thursday, making off with electronics and a firearm, police said.

The break-in was the latest in a string of similar crimes, and one likely committed by the same network of South Los Angeles gangs, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Glendale and Los Angeles police announced earlier this week that the departments are working together to stem a rash of burglaries in affluent Glendale and San Fernando Valley neighborhoods.

Glendale police have arrested seven suspects related to two separate break-ins this week, but have yet to locate any suspects from the latest crime.

The homeowner in Thursday’s burglary had just gotten off of work about 7 p.m. when he discovered his home returned home on the 1800 block of Idlewood Road had been burglarized, Lorenz said Thieves broke open a door to enter the backyard and smashed a window to enter the home, he added.

The break in was the second burglary in west Glendale Thursday.

Police arrested three burglary suspects — Billie Bell, 24, of Inglewood, Andre Piolet, 26, of Ladera Heights and Lanay Pennel, 19, of Los Angeles — earlier that day after witnesses spotted them fleeing from a home on the 800 block of Cumberland Road, Lorenz said.

The trio led police on car chase to Atwater Village, where they fled on foot and were eventually arrested.

Four additional suspects were arrested Tuesday following a seven-hour search that put part of West Glendale on lockdown.

-- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News

Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA