Video captures burglars ransacking Santa Monica condo complex during fumigation

Residents are distraught after burglars ransacked a Santa Monica condominium complex while it was being fumigated for termites.

Surveillance cameras captured the suspects arriving at the 10–unit complex on the 400 block of Idaho Avenue while the building was evacuated from Dec. 27-30.

A pair of hooded thieves were seen snooping around and rummaging through closets, trying to find valuable items they could steal. They spend their time checking every nook and cranny, at times opening briefcases and grabbing purses while placing items in tote bags.

As residents returned to their homes, the reality that they had been burglarized was distressing and shocking.

Hai Hoang, whose condo was ransacked, said the suspects broke into his home using a screwdriver and some other tools they left behind.

“They entered the building in the morning of Dec. 30 when the fumes stopped,” Hoang told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff. “They broke the door and broke the frame down. That’s how they entered the building.”

Hoang believed the burglary was premeditated and they were well-prepared. Hoang’s home was left in complete disarray — the closets were completely emptied and everything had been thrown on the floor.

Hoang said the incident has left him concerned for his safety and questions whether he should continue living in Santa Monica.

“You’re supposed to feel safe at home, right?” Hoang said. “But then you go home and your home is turned upside down, everything. They looked at every single thing. They pulled every single thing out of your closet. It changed the way I think about Santa Monica. I’m not sure it’s a safe neighborhood anymore.”

Hoang said that, before leaving his home for the fumigation, he had already taken many of his valuables with him — something police strongly advise residents do whenever they need to fumigate their home.

Residents should also ensure all home security cameras remain powered on to allow easy monitoring of their homes. Any alerts triggered by trespassers should be reported to the police immediately.

The Santa Monica break-in follows a similar incident in early December when burglars ransacked dozens of units at a Playa del Rey apartment complex during a fumigation.

The suspects remain at large. Anyone with information on the incident can call Santa Monica police at 310-458-8491.

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