Hollywood Hills Neighborhood Comes Together To Combat Brazen Burglars

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — After a recent spate of burglaries along Hollywood's tony Woods Drive, residents decided to team up to help curb the costly crimes.

Surveillance footage from Doug Fregolle's advanced security system shows nearly every step a suspect took when he broke into his home on the windy, Hollywood Hills street. However, it wasn't enough to prevent the burglar from making off with some $100,000-worth of watches.

Just in four minutes, the suspect "busted these two doors open, and they went in the house, went right to the bedroom, and struck gold," Fregolle told CBS2 News. He and his neighbors are using their footage to assist the LAPD in catching the suspect in this an other nearby home invasions.

A woman who did not wish to be identified told CBS2 she was shaken up by her experience. The thieves took about $500,000 in jewelry, handbags and other home goods eight weeks ago.

"I walked into the house. I thought, 'Oh, was there, like, a minor earthquake?'" the woman said. It's not clear if it was the same person who broke into Fregolle's home. "You think you're stealing from them, you know, items, but you're really [...] robbing them of their mental — just being calm and comfortable."

After her burglary, she had cameras installed. They captured images of the person who broke into Fregolle's home driving away in a what might be a 2007 grey BMW convertible. Yet another neighbor's camera also caught the vehicle going up and down the street.

Anyone with information about the burglaries or who thinks they recognize the suspect is urged to call LAPD's Hollywood Station at (213)972-2971, or they can submit a tip anonymously at (800)222-TIPS (8477).