Early Wednesday morning, the Hollywood Hills residence of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto became the latest in a string of burglarized homes owned by Los Angeles sports figures. According to ABC7, an attempted burglary was reported around 5 a.m. However, the pitcher was out of town, playing against the Cincinnati Reds, when private security and later the Los Angeles Police Department were alerted to a shattered glass door at the property.
Surveillance footage caught three individuals in the act of breaking the glass door, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. Staff members who were at home at the time managed to turn on lights, a move which spooked the intruders before they could enter the residence. Despite the quick response of staff and security, no arrests have been made, and the suspects were gone before police officers could arrive at the scene.
Yamamoto, who is 9-7 with a 2.63 ERA this season, has not commented on the attempted burglary. The incident follows a warning from the FBI to professional athletes discouraging the display of valuables on social media, which can attract unwanted attention from potential thieves. The advisory was aimed at curbing the rising trend of break-ins targeting sports celebrities' homes. TMZ Sports noted that this is just the latest crime against members of the sports community, with Dodgers, Rams, and LAFC players all having been recent targets of home invasions.
The Dodgers organization has yet to release any statements regarding the incident. Meanwhile, Yamamoto is expected to continue his successful season, taking the mound again on Sunday for a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. As the authorities continue their investigation, the pitcher's home joins a list of burglarized properties belonging to notable L.A. athletes, a concerning pattern that's emerging in the City of Angels.
