LA residents fought rampant break-ins with ingenious solution — now the city is forcing them to stop
Homeowners in Valley Glen, a neighborhood in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, are clashing with city authorities over private security measures they say have successfully deterred crime.
Residents installed 22 warning signs, infrared license plate readers, and video cameras after a surge in break-ins attributed to South American gangs. Debbie Stopeck, a 65-year-old retiree, told the California Post that there were 26 incidents between November 2024 and April 2025. Once the security measures were in place, the incidents stopped.
“We are taking back the streets. We are taking back the power,” Stopeck said. “Last year, my neighbor’s teenage daughter was too scared to go to school because their home was broken into and everything was stolen. Now, kids are happy to be outside and play. We went from high crime to zero once we got these cameras and warning signs installed.”
Stopeck emphasized that the signs are meant to alert potential criminals that they are being watched. “The criminals need to know they’re under surveillance when they come into our neighborhood. The signs make them think twice.”
However, local officials from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation say the signs, which are mounted on city utility poles, violate city codes and are technically illegal.
Stopeck urged political leaders to intervene. “I would love to hear from Mayor Karen Bass or Governor Gavin Newsom. I worked 36 years for the state of California and I was a problem solver. They could help provide exemptions for these signs,” she said.
Councilmember Adrin Nazarian visited Stopeck’s home Friday and praised the community’s efforts. “I love the proactive community engagement I’m seeing in neighborhoods like this, and I appreciate the initiative these neighbors have taken to protect their community. We’ll be working with the Department of Transportation and community members to ensure signage is displayed appropriately to maintain public safety,” Nazarian said. He added that he would try to find a “workable solution.”
Stopeck said the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed gangs from Colombia and Chile were responsible for the break-ins, which also included car theft and stolen license plates. “We don’t have that anymore,” she said.
Residents spend several thousand dollars annually on three license plate readers and three live-feed cameras, roughly $220 per family per year. The data collected is shared with the LAPD.
“The cameras are an investment,” Stopeck said. “They make a huge difference. I’ve lived in the same house all my life. I played here as a kid. I want my street to be safe so children can play without fear of being robbed. The cameras and signs have united our streets.”
She added that residents feel city resources are insufficient for protection. “The city can’t protect us. Decisions influenced by movements like Me Too and Black Lives Matter led to reduced police funding, which contributed to crime waves in the San Fernando Valley, as well as Santa Monica, Culver City, Westwood, and Beverly Hills,” Stopeck said.
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