Armed suspects ransack Hollywood Hills home at gunpoint
Authorities are searching for several armed suspects who forced their way into a rental home in Hollywood Hills early Wednesday morning and robbed it at gunpoint.
The home invasion was reported at about 1 a.m. in the 2500 block of Carman Crest Drive, just off Runyon Canyon Park.
The victim was Anthony Farrer of Dallas, a high-end watch dealer with a big social media following and a YouTube show. He and his three friends arrived in Hollywood about a week ago and started posting about their trip, including video of their rental home.
"Being in this business, I've heard this story a million times, it was just the first time I ever really lived it," Farrer told CBSLA Wednesday.
According to Los Angeles police, four armed suspects who had parked down the street in a dark sedan broke into the home. Farrer said he had just fallen asleep when they came into his first-floor bedroom.
"They put a gun in my face and said, 'Where's the briefcase,'" Farrer said.
"Multiple demands, 'Where's the backpack? Where's the briefcase?' So they knew what they were looking for."
Farrer says the men thought they were taking briefcases full of watches. However, he alleges the briefcases they stole were empty.
"They zip-tied my hands behind my back, they left out my patio door," Farrer said.
No one was hurt.
"The move here, we've been talking about it for weeks, showing off the house, showing off the area, we delay everything we do, but it's not hard to figure out this house," Farrer said.
In the moment, Farrer says he just tried to stay calm.
"It's just a matter of going through the motions, hoping for the best outcome, they got out, I gave them what they wanted and none of us were hurt," Farrer said.
LAPD Officer Leo Guillen told reporters the incident was likely not a "follow-home robbery" in which suspects tail victims home, usually from high-end restaurants or nightclubs, and rob them of expensive jewelry, purses or other items.
"There is no indication that they were followed home," Guillen said.
There was no immediate description of the suspects. It's unclear if the robbery was captured on security video.