Police Suspect Cat Burglar Has Hit 39 Encino Homes

ENCINO —  This burglar works the turf described by a line so often seen in San Fernando Valley real estate ads: “South of the Boulevard.”

That’s Ventura Boulevard, as in the pricey Encino hills.

A burglar who specializes in the upscale hillside area between the San Diego Freeway and White Oak Avenue has hit as many as 39 homes since September, making off with an estimated $500,000 in jewelry and cash, police say.

“The reason why we suspect one individual--or possibly two working together--is that the crimes are very similar,” said Lt. George Rock of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley division.

Dubbed by police the “Southside Burglar,” the thief generally strikes quickly--sometimes while his victims are out on an errand--slipping into a backyard and breaking or prying open a window.

The man leaves no fingerprints, concentrates on taking cash and jewelry, and seems to know the area well, Rock said.

Rock said additional police patrols had been assigned to the area but noted that officers in cars are at a disadvantage amid the winding, mazelike streets and abundant foliage of the area.

“It can be a hard area for a police vehicle to patrol and attempt to spot anyone because of the nature of the terrain,” Rock said. “If you’re a burglar on foot, you can hear a car coming some time before it gets to you, and all you have to do is duck underneath a bush.”

So far, the elusive burglar has been spotted only once, Rock said. A gardener at one of the burglarized homes saw him leaving the house and confronted him, but the man fled, Rock said.

Police describe the burglar as a clean-cut Asian 24 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and 170 to 190 pounds. When the gardener saw him, he was wearing a blue jogging suit with white sneakers, leading police to believe he may be masquerading as a jogger as he prowls the hills.

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One victim, Les Symons, said his home was burglarized Nov. 13 in less than half an hour. The thief stole about $10,000 worth of rings, including the diamond engagement ring Symons had given to his wife a decade ago.

Symons said he didn’t bother setting his home burglar alarm when he left because “I knew I was going to be back in 15 or 20 minutes.”