Ritzy California neighborhood is living in fear amid alarming crime spike – as residents resort to extreme tactics to protect themselves

Encino residents are living in fear after a recent spike in burglaries.

In this typically affluent San Fernando Valley neighborhood, burglaries are up 40 percent from the previous month, well above the city average.

This increase has led residents to take drastic measures, such as hiring armed guards, purchasing firearms and forming neighborhood watch groups.

Local police have increased patrols and added extra detectives to the case, but residents feel overwhelmed by the situation.

At least 10 burglaries were reported in one month, but residents believe the actual number is higher.

The normally affluent neighborhood in this San Fernando Valley section has seen a 40% increase in home burglaries compared to the previous month, far exceeding the city’s average

The dramatic increase, which far exceeds the city average, has caused panic.

Some even hire armed guards or purchase firearms to defend themselves.

“In all the years I’ve lived and worked in Encino, I’ve never had a conversation where people said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to get a gun.’ But now they are,” Robert Glushon, president of the Encino Property Owners Association, told the LA Times.

Encino is disproportionately targeted by burglars compared to the rest of Los Angeles.

While residential burglaries increased 4% year-over-year across the city, the Encino area south of the 101 Freeway saw a staggering 40% increase between June and July.

Captain Brian Wendling of the LAPD’s West Valley Division dismissed the idea of ​​a crime wave in Encino.

He acknowledged that there has been an increase in burglaries in a specific area recently, but also pointed out that overall crime rates in the West Valley are down 19% year-over-year.

“I can’t stress enough that people tend to overreact to spikes and dips in crime,” Wendling said. “There was an increase in a very small area, and West Valley responded to that very quickly.”

Wendling said it appears the police are not acting quickly enough because the media is so critical of the rising crime in Encino.

Five suspects are on the run after robbing a sneaker store in Encino early Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch a high-speed chase (Photo: Encino police at the scene)

“We take it extremely seriously,” he said. “We need the media’s help to lower the temperature, so to speak. We’re trying to reduce the incidence of crime, and then secondarily we’re trying to reduce the fear of crime. That’s what’s really been blown out of proportion.”

But the frequency and brutality of the break-ins have created a climate of fear, with people taking matters into their own hands, from forming neighborhood watch groups to confronting strangers on the street.

Five suspects are on the run after a sneaker store burglary in Encino early Wednesday morning. The break-in is the latest in a string of burglaries to plague the neighborhood, according to the local ABC affiliate KABC.

An Encino homeowner woke up Monday to the sound of breaking glass. By the time police arrived at the Firmament Avenue home, the intruders had fled.

Another home was attacked a few hours later, less than three miles away, with residents reporting two suspects in their Mooncrest Drive home. The terrified homeowners barricaded themselves in a bedroom after multiple intruders broke down their back door, the report said. NBC4 News.

“Deeply concerned” about rising crime, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman vowed to take action. He held a meeting with local officials and police Thursday to address the rising crime.

In response, the LAPD has increased patrols and sent additional detectives to the area. The department is also enlisting the help of volunteer reservists to combat the increase in burglaries.

Despite the increased police presence, fear persists. As residents grapple with the rising tide of crime, the community is divided on how to respond. Some believe more guns are the answer, while others advocate for more community involvement and police support.

Resident Stephanie Rosenthal has become extra vigilant. She takes photos of unfamiliar cars and confronts strangers.

Local police have increased patrols and assigned additional investigators to the case, but residents feel overwhelmed by the situation

“We just have to maintain a presence and not let anyone prowl the area,” she said. “You have to be prepared to interview everybody … if they’re taking risks, we’re going to take risks.”

While urging residents to be cautious, Captain Wendling warned against jumping to conclusions, stressing that suspects are often outsiders operating over a wide geographic area.

“It doesn’t matter where you live,” Wendling said. “It’s not just endemic in Los Angeles. It’s not just endemic in California. It’s coast to coast.”