Neighbor chases off suspects with paintball gun after attempted burglary in Tarzana, video shows
By IRENE CRUZ
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LOS ANGELES, California (KABC) — A neighbor stepped into action and stopped another attempted burglary at a multi-million dollar home in the San Fernando Valley overnight.
The incident happened around 10 p.m. on Aura Avenue near Tampa in Tarzana, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The homeowner and his wife were at home when multiple men in masks came onto the property. But the would-be burglars were scared off before they could do anything.
Julian Harper-Smith lives across the street and says he has about 40 cameras in the area, with a trailer where he monitors all the footage. When he saw the suspects jump the wall of his neighbor’s property, he jumped into action.
He says he flashed extremely bright lights at them before firing at them with a paintball gun.
Surveillance footage from the scene shows the suspects scrambling and running back to their car. They drove away as Harper-Smith fired paintball rounds at the car.
“The thievery that goes on around here, it happens all the time,” he said. “If you keep your windows locked, your doors locked, they’re most likely not gonna go in. Back in the day, they used to break the windows. Unless they see something, they’re not breaking your window.”
Nobody was hurt and no arrests have been made.
The incident comes after a series of home burglaries in surrounding areas. There have been at least nine in the San Fernando Valley so far in July – at least three in Woodland Hills and six in Encino. Tarzana is a neighboring community.
Police have started patrolling the area on horseback to keep an eye on the community.
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