A late-night break-in at a Beverlywood home sent a mother and her children scrambling for safety Monday, as they locked themselves in a bathroom while officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police later detained a suspect nearby, and the family was not hurt. Authorities classified the crime as a "hot prowl" burglary, the term used when residents are home during a break-in.
Break-In And Arrest
According to NBC Los Angeles, the break-in happened just before 11:30 p.m. on May 4 on the 1500 block of Rexford Drive. Officers searched the area and found a man in a neighbor’s backyard who matched the suspect description.
As reported by ABC7, the occupants reacted fast, barricading themselves in a bathroom and staying there while police cleared the home. They never came face to face with the intruder as officers secured the scene.
Suspect Identified, Linked To Citywide Burglaries
Detectives identified the arrestee as 22-year-old Kevin Diaz, who was booked at the Metropolitan Detention Center on first-degree residential burglary charges, with bail set at $50,000, according to KTLA. LAPD told KTLA that Diaz is connected to approximately 25 burglaries across the city, including incidents in West L.A., Olympics, Southwest, Devonshire, Mission and West Valley divisions, and that investigators believe he is tied to a South American theft group.
Investigators asked anyone with information to call Detective Angel Rivera at (310) 444-1580 or the LAPD Commercial Crimes Division at (213) 486-6620, per KTLA.
Broader Pattern Investigators Are Watching
Law enforcement agencies around Southern California have been monitoring organized crews that travel between cities to target high-value residential and commercial properties, a trend outlined by the Los Angeles Times. Officials say tying arrests like this to larger networks, and actually getting stolen property back into victims’ hands, remains an ongoing and often complicated effort.
