Residents are distraught after robbers ransacked a Santa Monica apartment complex while it was being fumigated for termites.
Surveillance cameras captured the suspects arriving at a 10-unit apartment complex in the 400 block of Idaho Avenue between Dec. 27 and 30 while the building was being evacuated.
A pair of hooded thieves were seen peeping and rummaging through a closet, hoping to find valuables they could steal. They take their time checking every nook and cranny, sometimes even opening briefcases or reaching for wallets while putting items in totes.
Video captured a duo of hooded robbers ransacking a Santa Monica condo during termite fumigation between December 27 and 30, 2024. December 27 to 30, 2024. Two hooded robbers ransacking Santa Monica, video captures two hooded robbers ransacking a Santa Monica condo that was being fumigated for termites from December 27 to 30, 2024. People were being captured. The suspects used screwdrivers and other tools to break down the front door of the victim’s home. (KTLA) Residents are distraught after burglars ransacked a Santa Monica apartment complex that was being fumigated for termites between December 27 and 30, 2024. (KTLA) Video captured two hooded robbers ransacking a Santa Monica apartment complex while it was being disinfected. Termite fumigation will be carried out from December 27th to 30th, 2024.
When the residents returned to their homes, the reality of being robbed was sad and shocking.
Hai Hoang, whose apartment was ransacked, said the suspects used screwdrivers and other tools left behind to break into her home.
“They entered the building on the morning of Dec. 30 when the smoke stopped,” Huang told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff. “They broke down the door, they broke the frame. That’s how they got into the building.”
Huang believed the robbery was planned and well-prepared. Juan’s house was left in complete disarray, with closets completely emptied and everything thrown on the floor.
Huang said the incident made him fear for his safety and question whether he should continue living in Santa Monica.
“You’re supposed to feel safe at home, right?” Huang said. “But when you get home, the whole house is turned upside down. They looked at everything. They took everything out of your closet. It changed the way I thought about Santa Monica. It’s no longer here. I don’t know if it’s a safe area.”
Huang said she had already taken many valuables with her before leaving her home for fumigation. This is something that police strongly advise residents to do whenever they need to fumigate their homes.
Residents should also ensure that all home security cameras are turned on so that they can easily monitor their home. If an alarm is triggered by a trespasser, you must call the police immediately.
The Santa Monica break-in follows a similar incident in early December when burglars ransacked dozens of homes during a fumigation at an apartment complex in Playa del Rey.
The suspect remains at large. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Santa Monica Police at 310-458-8491.
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