Four suspects were facing prosecution Friday for their alleged involvement in a series of “knock knock” burglaries in various parts of Los Angeles County, authorities said.
Rondell Fields, 32, and Malik Oaks, 18, both of Los Angeles were arrested in Sylmar Monday and arraigned Wednesday in San Fernando on suspicion of residential burglary and other crimes, according to the sheriff’s department. Fields was being held in lieu of $175,000 bail, and Oaks, in lieu of $90,000 bail.
On Tuesday, investigators in Gardena arrested Ricky Holmes, 39, and a 34- year-old woman, both of Los Angeles, and booked them on suspicion of burglary. Holmes was arraigned Thursday in Torrance and being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
“Holmes has a significant criminal history and is a six-time convicted felon,” a sheriff’s statement said. “He is a third strike candidate.”
The woman, whose name was not immediately released, was released after posting $50,000 bail and was expected to appear in court in June in Torrance.
The arrests were made by members of a sheriff’s department Burglary- Robbery Task Force, which was formed six years ago to combat organized “crews” that commit daytime residential burglaries.
Typically known as “knock knock” burglars, the crews, often formed by gang members, utilize high-end luxury vehicles to blend into middle class and affluent neighborhoods, where they knock on doors and break into unoccupied homes and businesses, ransacking those places and stealing valuables such as cash, jewelry, and weapons.
