Mansion where teens held party was listed for $21 million in 2010

The 9,000-square-foot La Habra Heights mansion where an unauthorized party attended by more than 100 people was put on the market in 2010 for $21 million, reports show.

Sixteen people were arrested Wednesday in connection with the party, during which teenage guests trashed the property and walked off with items including collectible medieval armor, scuba gear, designer suits and a mounted snow leopard valued at $250,000, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

The five-bedroom, nine-bathroom home is now listed at $7 million and features a home theater, casino room, wine cellar and water slide with a ring of fire, according to Engel & Volkers realty company in Newport Beach.

The homeowner, who was not identified by department officials, is businessman Nick Radoi, according to property records. He made headlines in September when his 55-foot yacht slammed into Balboa Pier after it lost power, ABC News reported.

The house is still for sale, according to Engel & Volkers consultant David Wright, who added that media exposure often trends up a property’s value.

As for the damage done, Wright said repairs are being made. Most of the loss was the result of stolen property, he said, adding he was surprised the teens managed to get past the home’s security systems.

The homeowner was out of the country at the time of the incident, which began during the afternoon of Nov. 23 and lasted into the early hours of Nov. 24.

“If somebody comes in and, let’s say, the floors get dirty — when you re-polish them, they’re going to be as good as new,” he said. “The real damage is to the kids and their futures.”

The investigation into the incident is ongoing as the department looks for additional property and suspects, including the party’s organizer. Officials are also working to determine whether the snow leopard was acquired by the owner before it was listed as an endangered species.

“We’re in the process of following up on that to see if it is legal or illegal,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Arthur Scott. “There’s a lot of information that needs to be obtained before it is given back to him.”

Thirteen of the suspects are juveniles — three girls and 10 boys who range from 15 to 17 years old — and were not identified because of their ages. Also arrested were three 18-year-old men, identified as Kevin Larios and Andres Uribe, both of La Habra, and Nickolas Koontz of La Habra Heights.

The damage and thievery came to at least $1 million. Sheriff Lee Baca called it one of the most serious juvenile and adult crimes the department has come across.

The teens who attended the party were charged a fee to get in and, as the night wore on, a window to the home was pried open, a 16-foot window overlooking the pool grotto was smashed and some guests went into what authorities described as a “looting frenzy.”

“I don’t think they knew what they were doing. I don’t think they knew what they had,” Scott said.

As the home was being picked over, one of the few remaining possessions was the snow leopard, stuffed and serene. The youth suspected of snagging the leopard told detectives he grabbed it simply because “all the good stuff was gone,” Scott said.

Told that it was worth more than $250,000, the teen asked, “How many zeros is that?” Scott said.

“These were not items you could sell, they’re so unique,” said Capt. Timothy Murakami said. “It’s probably just another stuffed animal to them.”

Those who were arrested appeared to be “kids of means,” Baca said. The teens face a range of charges, from trespassing to grand theft, which carries a possible jail sentence.

Some of the suspects essentially identified themselves by posting “selfies” with their loot to social media accounts to brag about their haul, officials said. The photos aided detectives’ efforts to find the suspects.

The neighborhood is quiet and the home, which sits on a large property, isn’t visible from the road, officials said. A groundskeeper or house-sitter reported the break-in. Security cameras on the property had been turned off while real estate agents were showing the property, Scott said.

It isn’t unheard of for large, vacant properties — often listed for sale online — to be used for pop-up parties, officials said, but Murakami could not recall it ever happening in La Habra Heights.

ALSO:Man wanted in three stabbings is a fugitive in SoCal, police say

Rizzo charged in federal tax scheme claiming $600,000 in fake losses

Appeals court prepares to end press access to child dependency courts

Twitter: @Sam_Schaefer

samantha.schaefer@latimes.com