The Getty House in Los Angeles, the official residence of Mayor Karen Bass, was broken into early Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The police took the intruder into custody, officials said. Details on the break-in were scant, but the police said on social media that the intruder had entered the Getty House after smashing a window around 6:40 a.m. while Ms. Bass and her family were inside. Ms. Bass’s office said in a statement that she and her family were safe and had not sustained any injuries.
The Getty House is in Windsor Square, a neighborhood in central Los Angeles. The city, with a population of about four million, was struggling with a surge in homelessness and violent crime when Ms. Bass took office in December 2022, two years into the pandemic. Data show that rates of violent crime have gone down in the city more recently. According to the Los Angeles Police’s report on crime in 2023, homicides went down that year by 17 percent from the year before. There were slight upticks in some nonviolent crimes, however. Property crimes increased by about 3.5 percent, and motor vehicle thefts went up by 2 percent, compared with the previous year, the report said.
In her State of the City Address this month, Ms. Bass hailed the city’s progress in lowering crime rates and homelessness. “Over the last year, we have done big things together,“ Ms. Bass said. “Thousands more unhoused Angelenos came inside and homicide and violent crime came down last year.” In September 2022, before she took office as mayor, Ms. Bass’s personal home in the city’s Baldwin Vista neighborhood was burglarized. Two thieves stole two handguns at the time.
The police said the investigation was ongoing and did not identify a suspect. The suspect is currently being processed, and officials will release more details once that is done, said Tony Im, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. This is a developing story, and updates are expected to be provided as more information becomes available. The incident at the Getty House comes amidst ongoing efforts by city officials to address issues such as homelessness and violent crime, which have been key priorities for Mayor Karen Bass during her tenure.
Overall, the city of Los Angeles has seen improvements in crime rates, with homicides decreasing and some nonviolent crimes experiencing slight increases. Mayor Karen Bass has been proactive in addressing these issues and has highlighted the progress made in her recent State of the City Address. The break-in at the Getty House is a concerning incident, but Mayor Bass and her family were unharmed, and the intruder was taken into custody. As the investigation continues, more information is expected to be released, and ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in Los Angeles will continue to be a top priority for city officials.
