Two Masked Burglars Had One Response When a Neighbor Tried to Stop Them in Studio City
He came with a camera, not a weapon. They came with bear spray. What happened on Denny Avenue says something uncomfortable about who is really keeping our neighborhoods safe.
He Got the Text. He Walked Straight Out the Door.
It was just past noon on May 8 when Steven Calabro’s phone buzzed. His neighbors across the street were watching their own home get ransacked through a security camera and texted him: “We’re being robbed.”
Calabro is a former boxer who has lived on the 4200 block of Denny Avenue for over 20 years. He didn’t hesitate.
He grabbed his phone and stepped outside. His plan wasn’t to fight. He just wanted to take photos and make sure the suspects knew someone was watching.
“The second guy pulled out a giant canister of bear spray and came right up to me and sprayed me in the face. But I kept on taking pictures.”Steven Calabro, Studio City resident
He photographed the getaway car, a white Kia with a blacked-out windshield, and both masked suspects as they left the home. One of them charged at him directly and hit him with a full blast of bear spray.
Bear spray carries a far higher capsaicin concentration than pepper spray. At close range it causes eye swelling, temporary blindness, and severe respiratory distress.
“Yeah, it’s rough. It’s horrible,” he said afterward. “I don’t recommend it.”
This Wasn’t Random. Studio City Was Already on Their List.
Since April 10, at least 13 burglaries have been reported across the San Fernando Valley, covering Sherman Oaks, Valley Glen, Woodland Hills, Porter Ranch, and Studio City.
LAPD sources told NBC4 that many of these break-ins are linked to organized international burglary crews operating from San Diego to the Bay Area.
These are not amateurs. They case neighborhoods in advance and scout for packages left outside as a sign no one is home.
One suspect on Denny Avenue faked drawing a gun at Calabro before the bear spray came out. That is not panic. That is practiced intimidation.
Calabro handed every photo directly to police. According to CBS News Los Angeles, the LAPD North Hollywood Division is now investigating. The suspects have not been caught.
He Called 911. Police Arrived an Hour Later.
Calabro says LAPD took roughly an hour to respond to a noon burglary with a neighbor already attacked. In that hour, the crew ransacked a home, assaulted a witness, and drove away clean.
Mayor Bass has pledged zero tolerance. LAPD deployed AI surveillance cameras in Studio City.
But arrests have come in fewer than 7% of burglary cases in Los Angeles in 2026. Zero tolerance is a press release. Seven percent clearance is the reality.
When neighbors and local deputies used a BOLO alert to catch five burglary suspects in Union Parish, it worked because someone was paying attention in real time. That is the gap Studio City is staring at right now.
This case is still developing. If you want updates on burglary cases like this across LA, there is a WhatsApp channel covering neighborhood crime and home security news worth following.
Why This Matters
The San Fernando Valley accounts for 40% of all citywide burglaries in Los Angeles.
Arrests came in fewer than 7% of cases. And the pattern here, organized crews, daytime hits, quick exits, is the same one that hit Encino and Sherman Oaks in 2024 and 2025. For the full numbers see the LAPD Compstat Citywide Profile.
This is not a one-off. It is a recurring, professional operation. And residents are being left to figure it out on their own.
What You Can Do Right Now
Calabro’s neighbors texted him the moment they saw the break-in on camera. That was faster than 911. Set up a group text with 5 or 6 nearby neighbors just for security alerts. Bring packages inside within 2 hours.
Organized crews scout for unattended deliveries as proof no one is home. A South American burglary crew used this exact tactic at a Newhall home before striking.
If you see a break-in happening, call 911 and record from a safe distance indoors. Do not step outside to confront anyone.
Calabro’s photos are the best evidence LAPD has right now, but he also took a face full of bear spray and had a gun faked at him. Document. Do not engage.
What Denny Avenue Tells Us
Calabro didn’t do anything reckless. He came with a camera, not a weapon. The burglars escalated because that is what prepared crews do.
The real failure is a 60-minute police response at noon, a 7% arrest rate, and city leadership holding press conferences while residents get attacked outside their homes.
The neighbor-to-neighbor alert that brought Calabro outside was faster and more effective than the official system.
These crews don’t stop at one neighborhood either. A teen from a Philadelphia crime spree was also charged in a Delaware County burglary, showing how fast these patterns cross city and state lines.
Has something like this happened on your street? Drop it in the comments. What did your neighbors do, how long did police take, and what actually helped. Real stories from real people matter here.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Details are based on reporting from CBS News Los Angeles, FOX 11, NBC4, and KTLA as of May 10, 2026. The LAPD investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been publicly confirmed.
