Knock-Knock Burglary Arrest NR18052ti

Encino: Detectives have released
the photographs of suspects arrested on February 12, 2018, by the
Los Angeles Police Department. These suspects were involved in a
Knock-Knock style burglary in the San Fernando Valley.

Knock-Knock Burglars
are organized and target affluent single-family residences located
within the San Fernando Valley. The members of these Knock-Knock
criminal groups are usually comprised of criminal street gang
members. They select homes based on the likelihood of having money,
jewelry, and/or firearms within the residence. They are known to
knock on the front door to determine if the residence is
unoccupied. Once they determine the residence is unoccupied, they
gain entry through a rear door, side door or second floor balcony
and have been known to disable the alarm. The residences are often
ransacked as they search for money, jewelry, and firearms. They
have even been known to remove unbolted safes from the residence.
We estimate that the Knock-Knock Burglars are usually in and out of
a home within five minutes.

On February 12, 2018,
suspect Paul Botha knocked on the door of a single-family home in
the Encino area. When no one answered, Botha attempted to open the
front door. The homeowners could monitor Botha’s activity through a
video doorbell application and promptly notified police. The
homeowners further observed Suspect Derrick Bradley join Botha and
go to the backyard where they removed a screen from the rear
sliding glass door and opened the second-floor balcony sliding
door. Uniformed Officers and plainclothes officers assigned to the
San Fernando Valley Knock-Knock Burglary Task Force responded to
the home and arrested both Botha and Bradley for conspiracy to
commit burglary as they attempted to leave in their silver BMW
sedan.

“The San Fernando Valley Knock-Knock Task Force continues to track
and arrests criminal street gang members committing burglaries in
the Valley,” stated Lieutenant Lou Vince, Assistant Commanding
Officer of West Valley Detectives. “Gang members committing
burglaries should know by now that we will catch them.” added
Lieutenant Vince.

“We have experienced 25 less burglaries year-to-date in West Valley
Area,” stated Detective II Joe Kim, assigned to West Valley
Burglary. “We are getting help from homeowners who ‘harden the
target’ by adding real-time video surveillance and calling the
police immediately upon observing suspicious activity,” added
Detective Kim.

The following tips will help prepare residents to protect
themselves and their property from Knock-Knock Burglars:
• Use video cameras around and inside your residence with motion
sensors covering entry points.
• Install a doorbell with video and audio capability.
• Share video which captures suspicious behavior with your
neighbors on social media.
• Ensure your “safe” is securely fastened to your residence to
prevent its removal.
• Keep valuable items in a bank safety deposit box.
• Install an audible alarm system with the speaker out of site and
reach, i.e., your attic area.
• Use laminated glass for rear and side doors, as it is more
difficult to break and remove.
• Ensure the property surrounding your residence is properly
lit.

The LAPD is also collaborating with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s
Department, Major Crimes Bureau, Burglary-Robbery Task Force to
reduce the number of burglaries in the San Fernando Valley and
throughout both of our jurisdictions.

Anyone with information related to this criminal activity is urged
to call Detective Joe Kim, West Valley Burglary Table, at
(818-374-7730. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls
should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone
wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to
www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters can also visit
www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the
“Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly,
tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and
select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers