A French bulldog named Leia was stomped to death inside her own North Hollywood home early Thursday after burglars broke in while the family slept, and police say four suspects are now behind bars after a chaotic chase across two vehicles. Officers recovered a safe the group allegedly stole from a rear building on the property before fleeing.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the burglars entered the home as its occupants were sleeping and encountered the dog, stomping on Leia and fatally injuring her. The suspects then broke into a separate structure at the back of the property, made off with a safe, and left the scene in two separate vehicles, the station reported.
Exactly when police responded remains murky. NBC Los Angeles reported officers responded at about 3 a.m. to a reported hot prowl burglary near Farmdale Avenue and Kittridge Street, while the Daily News cited a burglary call in the 6000 block of Farmdale Avenue around 2:50 a.m. Thursday, and MyNewsLA put the response at roughly 2:49 a.m. at the same intersection, according to the Daily News and MyNewsLA.
Two Pursuits, Four Suspects in Custody
Police ultimately arrested four suspected burglars after two separate pursuits, the station's report states. One suspect fled a silver Honda minivan on foot and was also later apprehended by police, per the same account. A second pursuit reportedly unfolded on the Hollywood Freeway, though the LAPD could not confirm whether it led to any arrests or was connected to the Farmdale Avenue and Kittridge Street incident, the outlet noted.
Police recovered the stolen safe, and the four suspects were arrested on suspicion of felony burglary and felony animal cruelty, according to NBC Los Angeles. One of the individuals had a firearm, police said. Details about the suspects' identities were not immediately available, the station reported.
Part of a Larger Pattern in the Valley
The case follows a rash of burglaries in the San Fernando Valley that prompted extra police patrols in the spring, according to the Daily Breeze. Earlier this year, three suspects were arrested in connection with 25 residential and commercial crimes in North Hollywood that occurred between January and March, as reported by FOX 11. The Van Nuys District Attorney's Office filed 25 felony counts against those suspects, including 16 counts of burglary, seven counts of grand theft auto, one count of felony evading and one count of criminal threats, per FOX 11's report.
Citywide, the picture is more encouraging. Residential and commercial burglaries in Los Angeles are down 30% in 2026 compared to last year, Mayor Karen Bass said, according to CBS News Los Angeles. Bass also said more than 100 arrests in connection with burglaries have been made in the last month, with one suspect allegedly linked to a South American crime group tied to more than 25 residential burglaries, including 14 in the San Fernando Valley. Another suspect, she said, was allegedly connected with more than 30 crimes, CBS News Los Angeles reported.
The North Hollywood case also echoes a 2025 West Hollywood incident in which a man was charged with first-degree residential burglary, animal cruelty and vandalism of $400 or more in connection with the killing of a dog during a break-in, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. No further details on the status of the North Hollywood suspects, including charges or court proceedings, have been released.
