Tag Archives: home invasion

LA Homeowner defends his house from multiple burglars protecting grandmother and toddler

Police-arrest-man

Important Takeaways:

  • A homeowner shot and killed a home invasion suspect in Los Angeles early Saturday morning while a grandmother and toddler were in the house in the fifth such crime reported in the area in the space of 10 days.
  • Officers were called to a home in the Granada Hills section of the San Fernando Valley, north of Beverly Hills, around 5am on Saturday after someone reported a ‘hot prowl’ – a burglary where the homeowner is present.
  • ‘The officers’ preliminary investigation determined that approximately three to four armed males in their 20s entered the home with the intent to burglarize the location,’ according to LAPD officials.
  • The name of the deceased burglar has not been released.
  • The other three suspects fled the scene and have not yet been identified, but police said a ‘trail of blood’ suggested one of them had been injured.
  • There was also a grandmother and a toddler in the house at the time.
  • Video from the scene shows the unnamed male homeowner being detained by police during the initial investigation, but it is not known if he has been charged.
  • LAPD Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said that the investigation in ongoing and that it’s up to the District Attorney’s Office if charges will be filed in the case.
  • Neighbors were alarmed by the incident but told KTLA that they aren’t surprised.
  • Pat Walsh said: ‘We’ve been having burglaries every day in this neighborhood.
  • ‘So I’m not surprised at all. It’s been a real problem. Residents here are fed up.’

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Suspected Houston serial killer in custody after crime spree: police

(Reuters) – Houston police on Tuesday arrested a suspected serial killer who they believe murdered at least three people in a weekend crime spree that had prompted city authorities to warn residents of Texas’ largest city to be on “high alert.”

Officials said they arrested Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, 46, who they described as having gang ties and having days earlier removed a monitoring device that he wore as a condition of his parole before his crime spree.

Police said they would release more details on Rodriguez’ capture later on Tuesday.

The Houston area had been on edge after three people were killed beginning Friday. Police Chief Art Acevedo and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez held a joint news conference on Monday to warn that Gonzalez posed a threat to the community.

“Let’s get this man off the street as soon as possible,” Acevedo posted on Twitter.

The victims included a widow and two people who were killed in mattress stores, officials said.

In addition to the murders, Rodriguez is also suspected of a July 9 home-invasion robbery and the Monday shooting and robbery of a bus driver who is expected to survive the attack, Acevedo said at Monday’s news conference.

Acevedo did not discuss Rodriguez’ prior criminal convictions, and Houston police officials could not be reached for immediate comment. Local news media reported that the suspect was a registered sex offender.

“He cut his monitor just a matter of days ago, and next thing you know we believe he’s involved in this,” Acevedo said.

(Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Scott Malone, Jeffrey Benkoe and Jonathan Oatis)