A wave of residential burglaries has struck luxury homes across Beverly Hills and Bel Air over the past year, with thieves hitting properties belonging to the Hilton family, musician Lionel Richie, and reality TV personality Morgan Stewart while exploiting gaps in private security.
The break-ins share a pattern: suspects strike when homeowners are away, often during daylight hours, and appear to conduct surveillance before entering. Canyon News, citing unnamed reports circulating as of Sunday, July 26, added that thieves have begun disabling security cameras, attaching GPS tracking devices to vehicles, and jamming Wi-Fi systems to knock out alarm networks. Suspects have also posed as landscapers or delivery workers to gain initial access to properties, the outlet reported.
Neither the Beverly Hills Police Department nor the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has publicly confirmed the specific counter-surveillance methods. BHPD had not responded to inquiries about the July incidents as of Monday, July 27.
Trousdale Estates hit twice
Stewart, who lives in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood, disclosed on the Friday, July 24 episode of the podcast "Therapuss" with Jake Shane that her home had been burglarized twice. In the first break-in, thieves stole a rare Hermès Birkin bag and her husband's luxury watch collection while she was away on a school camping trip with her children. A security guard posted at the home had fallen asleep. Surveillance footage showed suspects climbing over her gate in the middle of the day, carrying armfuls of bags.
"This is happening a lot in the area, unfortunately, it's happening all the time," Stewart said on the July 24 podcast, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. "Everyone I know has gotten robbed."
In the second incident, Stewart said her security team caught intruders on the hillside behind her property. Her jewelry was stolen but later recovered.
Hilton, Richie properties also targeted
On Saturday, November 15, 2025, the Bel Air home of Rick and Kathy Hilton was burglarized while both were away in Las Vegas, according to Canyon News. The Hiltons are the parents of Paris Hilton.
On Friday, August 22, 2025, Lionel Richie's Beverly Hills home was broken into. BHPD arrested a 38-year-old man who was held at the Beverly Hills Jail on $50,000 bond. The burglar alarm scared off the intruder before anything was stolen.
Q1 stats showed improvement
BHPD's most recent official crime data, released Thursday, April 16, showed burglaries in Beverly Hills fell 50% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, dropping from 60 incidents to 30. Then-Chief Mark G. Stainbrook attributed the improvement to targeted enforcement, increased patrol visibility, and stronger prosecution by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
Max Subin took over as BHPD chief on Saturday, June 27. No updated statistics covering the summer months have been released.
What residents can do
Residents who observe suspicious activity in Beverly Hills can contact BHPD's 24-hour watch commander line at (310) 285-2125. For incidents in Bel Air, contact the LAPD West Los Angeles Division. BHPD encourages residents to report unfamiliar workers, vehicles parked for extended periods, or any signs of tampering with security equipment.
