Organized crews behind recent rash of burglaries in western San Fernando Valley

The Los Angeles Police Department are warning residents about organized burglaries in the western San Fernando Valley area after officers responded to more than two dozen break-ins this past week. 

"We believe that this is coordinated crews," Lt. Dough Humphrey said. "We make that determination based on what we consider the M.O., what time of day they are hitting, the fact they usually come in multiple cares and multiple suspects."

Investigators said that 27 burglaries have happened over seven days in the department's Topanga Division, which covers Canoga Park, West Hills, Chatsworth, Winnetka and Woodland Hills. Humphrey said crime was down two weeks before the break-ins started. Officers believe the suspects target smaller items with higher value, including purses and cash. 

"Depends on the open markets like Facebook Marketplace or any other second-hand market," Humphrey said. 

Humphrey recommends homeowners install lighting, audible alarms and cameras around their property.

"Most of these entries are made from the rear of the residence, not a lot of the public has cameras in the back," he said. 

While investigators are working to track down the thieves, neighbors are looking out for each other online.

"An hour after me there was a woman down the street hit," one Canoga Park homeowner said. "They only took the designer bags and jewelry but the house was completely ransacked. I just started to see a pattern on the Facebook Crime Busters page, that they were all doing the same thing."

The homeowner asked to remain anonymous after the burglars stole her ID while she and her family were in Big Bear. 

"My kids' bedroom drawers were pulled. Everything was on the floor. Everything that we had in the house as far as jewelry was gone. All designer purses were gone," she said.