If you are facing a burglary charge, the Los Angeles burglary defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich may be able to help. Burglary is a strike offense in California; receiving a conviction can seriously impair your ability to work or find housing.
A string of recent burglaries in the Southland are thought to be connected. The modus operandi of the perpetrators is to pose as Department of Water and Power employees or city construction workers. They work as a team: one appears at a resident’s door, introduces himself, and then lures him to the backyard or other part of the house. Meanwhile, a second member of the team sneaks inside and steals whatever he can find of value.
The Los Angeles Police Department reports that as many as nine homes have been burglarized in the San Fernando Valley in the past year. Burglars using a similar ruse have struck in West Los Angeles and North Hollywood as well. Police believe the various crimes are being committed by the same group despite what are sometimes conflicting descriptions of the perpetrators given by victims. Certain details are common in most all cases; e.g. the individual who introduces himself refers to himself as “Jerry,” and the “teams” communicate with each other via cell phones or walkie talkies.
The suspects are still at large.
California state law defines burglary of a residence (PC 459) as first degree burglary, whether or not anything is actually taken. This is a strike offense, and carries a potential penalty of 2-6 years in state prison. Add to this the offense of false impersonation in order to harm an individual or gain a benefit for oneself (PC 529), and the suspects, if caught and convicted, may face serious punishment, indeed.
If you are charged with a burglary, don’t rely on a public defender to help you. You need a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney on your side that is aggressive and experienced. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have spent over 30 years defending clients with a large range of issues. Call us today at 1-888-749-0034.
