Neighbors at a Playa del Rey condo complex are outraged after they say more than twenty homes were ransacked while they were away during a planned fumigation operation.
Residents were told to return to the complex after four days of fumigation services but were met with an unpleasant surprise, finding their homes ransacked with personal items missing.
“I would say that about 25 apartments, possibly more, were looted. All my neighbors I’ve spoken to were robbed,” said Samuel Seneratan, whose home was among those ransacked.
The Rey Plaza apartment complex, located on Via Tuscany in Playa del Rey, consists of 39 units.
According to Seneratan, the HOA had promised to provide 24-hour security during the four days the building was closed for fumigation. However, the thieves were able to enter and carry out a mass robbery.
“I think the thieves knew the apartments would be empty. They knew the place had been fumigated, that no one would be there for four days starting Wednesday, and they knew what they were coming to do,” said Seneratan.
The thieves only took a cell phone and some speakers from Seneratan’s apartment, although several of his neighbors reported significant losses, such as cash, jewelry, and other valuable items.
“Some of my neighbors and they told me that the thieves took purses, cash, jewelry, electronic devices, and even some firearms that some of my neighbors had,” said Seneratan.
A worker, who asked to remain anonymous, told our sister station Telemundo 52 that he was hired to repair some doors and was shocked when he learned of the robbery.
“They left everything destroyed. They broke everything. I was barely called this morning,” said the worker.
For now, it’s unclear who will be responsible for the repair costs or for the belongings the thieves managed to steal.
NBCLA has tried to reach the homeowner association for more information but has not received a response.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the robbery and asks anyone with information to contact them immediately.