California residents demand action from Mayor Bass over rising crime surge

Residents in a ritzy area of Los Angeles are getting frustrated with local leaders such as Democrat Mayor Karen Bass over a recent rise in crime, with one resident saying that people in the community are “on edge” and says more needs to be done.

The call for increased security in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, comes after longtime American Idol music producer Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were found dead inside their home on July 14. 

Police believe the couple was killed on July 10 as two calls were placed reporting a possible burglary incident at the couple’s Encino house. The suspect, 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, was arrested on double homicide charges. It’s believed the alleged killings were random, officials said.

One neighbor previously told Fox News Digital that the suspect had mental health issues and would sometimes allegedly stalk people.

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“He had mental health issues. He would walk around here all day. We got Ring cameras — he would walk by and flash knives at our Ring cameras,” one neighbor said. “He was kind of stalking one of my sons… like hitting him up on Instagram, like wanting him to be his friend. He was like, ‘No, I’m good.’” 

Rob Glushon, president of the Encino Property Owners Association, who is a neighbor of Kaye and Deluca, told Fox News Digital the double murder is only one flashpoint in a recent rise in crime.

“I had a next-door neighbor and her husband killed by a burglar,” Glushon said. “But that happened while other increases in burglaries and home invasions were going on. So the reality is, people are on edge because everyone knows someone who’s been victimized.”

“And that isn’t normal,” he added.

Glushon was part of a group of Encino residents who gathered outside Van Nuys City Hall to present a list of demands on July 31, which includes an increase of Los Angeles Police Department resources in the neighborhood, according to FOX 11.

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On the same day Encino met to present their list of demands to Bass, two more break-ins were reported in the neighborhood, with one being at the home of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Teddi Mellencamp.

Following the break-ins, a resident told the station, “We are being targeted…It’s scary.

Meanwhile, Glushon said city leaders, including Bass, aren’t doing enough to address the concerns of Encino residents, saying the LAPD is woefully understaffed. 

“There’s no question that [the LAPD is] understaffed citywide,” he said. “We’re frustrated, we’re angry…You know, people are understandably fearful and they want action.”

“We are demanding action from the mayor, our city council members, and we’re gonna hold them accountable,” Glushon said.

Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon and Larry Fink contributed to this report.