Mayor Bass, Chief McDonnell Announce Arrest of Suspect Linked to Burglaries Throughout the Valley

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Suspect Believed to be Tied to South American Organized Theft Group

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced the arrest of 22-year-old Kevin Diaz who LAPD detectives have connected to approximately 25 burglaries across the city, including at least 14 in the Valley.

While residential burglaries in the Valley are down by 47% compared to the same period last year, a recent string of burglaries prompted Mayor Bass to direct the LAPD to strategically deploy resources and patrols to bolster public safety in the area.

"This is exactly why we have focused additional resources to the Valley and increased coordination across LAPD Bureaus: to catch these bad actors and get them off the streets," said Mayor Bass. "This is also why I have worked so hard to hire more officers. We need enough officers to act swiftly and strategically when crime patterns emerge.

"I want to thank the officers of the LAPD for their commitment to catching these criminals and keeping Valley residents and all Angelenos safe. This coordinated and strategic work will continue."

"As Mayor Bass noted, our coordinated strategy across the San Fernando Valley is working, and this arrest is a direct result of that focused effort," said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. "When our investigators identified this burglary pattern, we surged resources, increased visibility, and tightened collaboration across our specialized units. I want Angelenos to know that we are fully committed to stopping these organized burglary crews and protecting every neighborhood."

Under Mayor Bass' direction, LAPD's Operations-Valley Bureau has implemented the following strategies to halt the spate of residential burglaries in the Valley, even as burglaries are down 47%:

• Extra patrols by Patrol Officers, Detectives, and Specialized Units

• Deployment of LAPD vehicles in high-visibility locations

• Utilization of mobile License Plate Readers (LPRs) around high-risk burglary areas

• Active community engagement by Senior Lead Officers (SLOs)

• Air support to provide high-visibility patrol and deterrence

• Close collaboration with other specialized divisions, including the Commercial Crimes Division and the Robbery Homicide Division, to investigate high-value loss burglaries