July 18, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Knock-Knock Burglaries on the Rise in Brentwood

Organized crime behind these break-ins.

By Sam Catanzaro

Knock knock? Who’s there? A burglar who wants to break into your house.

‘Knock knock’ burglaries are on the rise in Brentwood and despite their humorous name, these thieves leave their mark. In a ‘knock knock’ burglary, a thief will knock on a door. If somebody answers the door, the thief employs a ruse, pretending to be a salesperson. If nobody answers, they will jump the fence and break into the house through the back door.

“They make entry through your back doorway. They don’t need any special tools for the most part. And then, once they’re inside the house, they take things like guns, money and jewelry. Those are the primary things they’re after,” said Captain Brian Wendling of the Los Angeles Police Department, West LA Division at the latest Brentwood Community Council (BCC) meeting.

Capt. Wendling speaking at the BCC meeting. Photo: Jeff Hall.

According to Captain Wendling, in multiple instances ‘knock knock’ thieves have made off with large safes, rolling them down flights of stairs and onto the street. This type of crime was first reported by the LAPD Southwest Division, which is headquartered around the University of Southern California. The culprits initially were a gang known as the Rolling 60s but now these types of break-ins have now been adopted by criminals throughout California.

“This is organized crime. It’s not designed to be violent. It’s designed to get you property from your house and into their house.” Wendling said. “This trend now is expanded. It’s gone all the way to the Bay Area, and down to the Mexican border. So it’s not just L.A. that’s feeling it.”

Wendling said that the LAPD West LA Division is putting time and resources into combatting these criminals, but at the end of the day, the Department is still playing catchup.

“We have lots of officers dedicated,” Wendling said. “We have tricks of the trade that we’re doing, but we’re always playing catch up. It’s a very reactive sport that we play, and they’re always ahead, because we change our tactics, then they figure something out.”

No matter how smart these criminals are, however, ‘knock knock’ burglars often engage in suspicious activity prior to breaking in while scoping out the neighborhood. Captain Wendling says to keep an eye out for shady activity and to install security cameras to pick up either the face of the thieves or their license plates.

“Your security cameras, your systems that you have, anything that you can get that faces up and down the street where you live is super helpful, and it’s not super obvious,” Captain Wendling said.

Specifically, Captain Wendling says to be wary of cars with tinted windows and paper dealer plates that are unfamiliar to the neighborhood and to report any suspicious activity by calling the LAPD West Division at 310-444-0702 and asking for Detective Davis.

Because these criminals make off with a lot of valuables, they create a fair amount of anxiety in communities but according to Captain Wendling, overall crime in Brentwood is down from last year.

“The good news is there is not an uptick in burglary in Brentwood. We’re actually down this year as compared to last year,” Captain Wendling said. “I think what happened is we’ve had a few crimes, and some of them were a little bit more egregious and heinous than what we were used to, and that’s got everybody feeling uneasy at home, and I get that because I feel the same way when it happens in my neighborhood.“

 

Related Posts

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

What to Expect at This Weekend’s “Conquer The Pier 5K and 1 Mile Race/Walk” in Venice

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Proceeds will fund community programs, youth sports, and park enhancements The Conquer The Pier 5K and 1 Mile Race/Walk will...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

Federal Judge Sides with Santa Monica, Other Local Governments Against Immigration Raids

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...

Beverly Hills Plans Major Apartment Development Near Civic Center

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

The site, currently holding 13 residential units, is slated for demolition to make way for the new development A proposal...