Over the past few months, we’ve covered a string of home break-ins in the San Fernando Valley and beyond. So who’s behind the crime, how do you best protect your home, and are break-ins actually surging?

Those are all questions our 7 On Your Side Investigates team had. And we got answers.

Even though some neighborhoods have been hit hard, the numbers show burglaries are actually trending down.

In LAPD’s Valley Division, police data shows there have been 504 burglaries and break-ins so far this year. That sounds like a lot, but that is down more than 40% from where that number stood this time last year.

Across Los Angeles, there have been 1,437 burglaries and break-ins year-to-date. For the same time period in 2025, there were just over 2,100.

That’s the good news. The bad news is there are still hundreds of homeowners being victimized.

And police say savvy South American and local gangs are behind many of these break-ins.

“Nine times out of 10, if somebody does come into your house, they’re going straight to the primary bedroom,” said David Ellis with Superior Alarm Systems.

Ellis says that’s because thieves are going after high-end purses, jewelry and cash.

We tagged along with him as he did a security assessment on this home. He immediately spotted a visible cord to one of the security cameras.

“You reach up, you cut the wire, and the camera’s dead,” Ellis said as he pointed to the cord.

Ellis says today’s thieves are also knocking Wi-Fi connected cameras offline with illegal Wi-Fi jammers. Starting at a few hundred bucks, you can now get devices that detect those Wi-Fi jammers.

They are equipped with antennas that can pick up the flood of radio signals that Wi-Fi jammers release.

Ellis says more expensive cameras hardwired to the internet with vandal-resistant domes are best, but more affordable Wi-Fi cameras are better than none.

He suggests mounting them eight to ten feet off the ground.

“It’s a sweet spot,” said Ellis. “It’s hard to get to to vandalize, but it’s low enough that you can still get a profile.”

If you can financially swing it, Ellis says make sure every square inch of your property is always covered by a camera.

That means what one camera captures is going to overlay what another one captures so there are no blind spots.

“If I’m a suspect, I want to avoid detection,” said LAPD Captain Mike Bland. “I want to operate in shadows.”

So LAPD Captain Mike Bland says getting a family dog with a loud bark is a highly-effective deterrent. And so is clear signage advertising an alarm system.

“Even if I can’t afford an alarm, maybe just posting it might help,” said Captain Bland.

Police say crime rings are targeting higher-end homes right now close to highways so thieves can get in and out fast.

“Put away screwdrivers, shovels, and tools that are going to give the suspect the ability to break into your home,” advised Bland.

“If you have a safe inside the house, make sure that’s secured to the to the floor so people can’t just pick it up and take it away,” added Lieutenant Joseph Morales with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

Security experts say most burglars break in through ground floor windows and sliding glass doors, so consider installing a special plastic film that makes it much tougher for a thief to shatter the glass.

It’s also a good idea to keep a list of serial numbers for any expensive item you have. That could help police track it if it is stolen.

Also, don’t forget banks still have safe deposit boxes.

Your items and cash may be safer there than in your bedroom.

And consider landscaping your property with thorny bushes. They are a great organic defense system.


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