A man used a spare key to break into a West Hollywood apartment early Sunday morning, according to Sheriff radio traffic reviewed by WEHOonline. The break in was reported at approximately 3:15 a.m. at a building on North Vista Street.
Dispatchers put out a “459 just occurred” call and requested a Code 3 response, lights and sirens, to the 1200 block of Vista, near Plummer Park. The caller told dispatch that a male adult in a light brown coat and beanie had found the resident’s spare key, unlocked the door and walked into the living room.
The resident yelled at the man. According to the radio call, the intruder then ran out in an unknown direction, taking the spare key with him.
It was not clear from the initial call whether the resident knew the man or if he was a stranger.
WEHOonline spoke with the on duty sergeant at the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station on Sunday morning, who said there were no reported injuries or additional details to release at the time of publication.
The incident is also a reminder about how vulnerable spare keys can be when they are easy to find. People often leave keys for roommates, dog walkers, housecleaning, or guests, but cops and crime regularly remind people to avoid this and at the very least, don’t place your key in obvious spots like under mats, in planters or anywhere near the front door for that matter.
Anyone with information about the break in on Vista Street is asked to contact the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at (310) 855-8850. To remain anonymous, tips can always be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or online via the anonymous tip line.
To make matters worse, Vista Street has been without street lights for over a month. It is very dark. The City and So Cal Edison are aware as is City Council. So far Edison’s explanation is there is a circuit out.
How long does it take to fix a street’s lights? A month seems extremely unreasonable. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days at most. That’s ridiculous.