Police Looking For ‘Knock-Knock Burglars’ in Los Angeles

Updated:

Three knock-knock burglars have been caught on tape and are wanted in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif.

Police released surveillance video of the suspects on Sept. 11. They are linked to at least four crimes that happened between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The footage starts with a black woman in her 20s approaching the front door, knocking more than a dozen times impatiently, pausing, then knocking a couple more times. She holds a drink bottle and a small plastic bag of food.

A female suspect knocks at the front door of a house before other burglars break in the back in Mar Vista, Calif. in a video released by LAPD on Sept. 11, 2018. (Screenshot/LAPD)
A female suspect knocks at the front door of a house before other burglars break in the back in Mar Vista, Calif. in a video released by LAPD on Sept. 11, 2018. Screenshot/LAPD
“If the resident responds, she announces herself as a Post Mates delivery person and says she has their food,” according to the statement published on Los Angeles Police Department’s official website.

Otherwise, she waves over a couple other suspects to break in the residence through the back via an unlocked window or forcing their way in. The suspects can be seen in one of the clips exiting the house from the front door.

Two black males, also in their 20s, are believed to ransack the house and get away with valuable items such as jewelry, cash and electronics in bags and pillow cases.

Burglars target a house in Mar Vista, Calif. in a video released by LAPD on Sept. 11, 2018. (Screenshot/LAPD)
Burglars target a house in Mar Vista, Calif. in a video released by LAPD on Sept. 11, 2018. Screenshot/LAPD

The female suspect is usually the driver, who drives various newer model vehicles with paper plates, according to LAPD Pacific Division. These are the four locations where the suspects stole personal property:

-3000 block of Stoner Avenue on Friday, August 3, 2018, -12000 block of Marine Street on Wednesday, August 29, 2018, -12000 block of Clover Avenue on Thursday, September 6, 2018, -3500 block of Grand View Avenue on Friday, September 7, 2018.

No arrests have yet been made.

Detectives believe there are numerous similar burglary cases related to this crew that haven’t been reported. They ask the general public to provide any information about these suspects, and tippers can remain anonymous by calling (310) 482-6363 or (800) 222-TIPS, texting to 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone, or providing tips on LAPDOnline.org by clicking “Webtips” and follow the prompts.