Members of a burglary ring dressing as construction workers in Los Angeles may have traded hard hats for handcuffs.
The group, dubbed the "Reflector Vest Crew," was arrested in a joint operation of North Hollywood Division detectives and the LA County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Tuesday.
The arrests took place on June 27 and July 3, following an extensive investigation into a string of high-end residential burglaries across affluent LA neighborhoods, Studio City, West Los Angeles and West Hollywood between March and June 2024.
Their signature tactic involved sending a member in a reflector vest to knock on doors without raising much suspicion, assessing whether homes were occupied before other suspects proceeded with the burglary.
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The group allegedly focused on stealing luxury items such as high-end purses, jewelry, watches and cash.
“The defendants used multiple rented vehicles and sophisticated techniques to prevent detectives from uncovering their identities,” the LAPD said in a statement.
Investigators eventually caught the suspects during an in-progress burglary in Studio City on June 27.
Three primary suspects were identified as Roderick Dennis, 39, of Los Angeles, Michael Mitchell, 21, of Ontario and Munya Jones, 21, of Los Angeles.
In a subsequent development on July 3, authorities executed a search warrant leading to the arrest of Ashley Ellison, 33, girlfriend of defendant Roderick Dennis.
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Ellison was accused of renting vehicles used in the burglaries and storing stolen items at her residence.
The search yielded thousands of dollars, two stolen firearms, jewelry appraisals and additional evidence linking the suspects to the crimes.
All three male suspects have been charged with multiple counts of residential burglary while Ellison faces charges of receiving stolen property.
The LAPD is urging the public to come forward with any additional information related to these burglaries, as detectives are working to identify potential additional suspects and victims.
