SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department has arrested the suspect responsible for a string of burglaries that began in the area on April 21. According to a press release from Lt. Saul Rodriguez from the SMPD, a complex investigation led to detectives presenting evidence to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office where Schfuncell Whitley was identified in connection to the residential burglaries.
Whitley was taken into custody by authorities on April 22 by the Beverly Hills Police Department when he tried to flee from uniformed officers while he was driving a stolen car. Authorities did recover a firearm during their search before taking Whitley into custody.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department identified Whitley as the primary suspect in a series of residential burglaries and sexual assaults that occurred in the West Los Angeles and Hollywood regions. The LAPD, BHPD, and SMPD Detectives have developed information to lead to the filing of additional felony counts for the Santa Monica home burglaries that Whitley partook in. He is being held on a $2.25 million dollar bail.
Canyon News reached out to Lt. Rodriguez via email for additional details about the case. He informed Canyon News that Whitley has been charged for two residential burglaries in Santa Monica. “There was no property loss in both incidents,” said Lt. Rodriguez.
Anyone with additional information on any of these crimes are asked to contact Detective HeeSeok Ahn at (310) 458-8452; Detective Nicole Sierra at (310) 458-8941 or LAPD Officer Catherine Banting at (213) 972-2928.
