70-year-old heiress of Budget Rent a Car, Margaux Mirkin, was during a home invasion on Thursday and was assaulted and strangled, KTLA reported today, citing police.
Here’s what we know about the robbery attempt in the Hollywood Hills:
According to the report, a group of masked men broke into the home on the 8500 block of Lookout Mountain Avenue around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. About 30 minutes later, neighbours saw masked men moving around the property and contacted officers from the Los Angeles Police Department, who were called to the home.
Officers arrived at her residence in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left Mirkin inside her home after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her. The 70-year-old heiress was taken to the hospital for her injuries, following which police reported that she was in stable condition.
While the full extent of the theft continues to be unclear, police said that the accused stole cash and jewelry from Mirkin’s home. According to neighbours, some of the jewelry belongs to her late husband, who died in a house fire two years ago.
The individuals involved have not yet been apprehended.
The suspects fled Mirkin’s home in a white Honda with jewelry and an unknown amount of cash. Further, it remains unclear how the two suspects got into the home, which is on top of a hill.
A man who lives in the neighborhood said the scene was unsettling. “The street light was out, so it’s a dark street. It’s at the top, a dead-end street, with not many people on it. So, of course, it’s like the perfect street for a break-in,” Chris said.
Another said that the street is “dark” and a “dead-end street,” adding that, “Not many people are on it, so of course it’s like the perfect street for a break-in.”
Police respond to two other calls in Hollywood Hills
In two separate incidents, police responded to two other calls in the Hollywood Hills area overnight. Around midnight, officers were called to the 2600 block of Reppert Court, where a homeowner reported that a back door was open. Investigators did not find evidence of a . The second call came around 12:15 a.m. Someone on the 7900 block of Willow Glen reported hearing voices in their yard.
The Hollywood Hills calls come amid a month-long string of break-ins across the Los Angeles area.
Break-in cases across Los Angeles on the rise
According to KTLA, earlier this week on Tuesday, police responded to at least four homes overnight as burglars continued a week-long wave of break-ins across the Los Angeles area.
Over a dozen homes have been targeted since the crime wave began earlier this month.
Home invasions are becoming increasingly common across Los Angeles, with recent cases reported in Sylmar, Sherman Oaks, Valley Glen, and Westwood. In many of these incidents, security footage shows masked individuals, but arrests have yet to be made.
Karen Bass, Los Angeles Mayor, has instructed the Los Angeles Police Department to step up patrols and allocate more resources, such as license plate readers, to help identify and apprehend those involved.
- Home invasions are on the rise in Los Angeles, prompting community concern.
- Local authorities are responding by increasing police patrols and resources.
- Residents are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
