Dog Brutally Killed in Rustic Canyon Break-In

The brutal killing of a terrier-mix in Rustic Canyon has neighbors on edge as local break-ins are on the rise.

The incident took place Monday, Sept. 22 between the hours of 2:00 and 3 p.m. in lower Rustic Canyon, according to the LAPD.

Palisadian Jerry Kagan said he found his pet Maddy, a 30-pound female terrier-mix, lying on the ground when he arrived home.

“She was just lying there bleeding,” said Kagan, a disability advocacy attorney. “The front door was wide open, and I saw a brick.”

Kagan did not immediately realize his home had been burglarized, thinking Maddy had possibly been hit by a vehicle and then run home, he said.

But when he returned after taking Maddy to the animal hospital, Kagan noticed the home was entirely ransacked and valuable items were missing, he said.

“I then remembered the brick,” he said. “There was blood everywhere, and the brick was bloody.”

Maddy died more than 10 hours later. She had a brain fracture and fluid built up around her brain, he said.

“When I said goodbye to her, she just started making this noise,” he said, as tears began welling up in his eyes. “She was suffering.”

The Work of Pros

The burglars used a tool to come in through the doggy-door and stole nearly $200,000 worth of valuables, according to Kagan.

“I have a row of glass animals on my desk, but only three were missing – the ones that were Lalique,” Kagan said. “They only took things of value. They were pros.”

Kagan said that his deck door was open too, which was odd because he never uses the deck in his home.

Police told him burglars often make sure they have several exit points before starting a job.

He now thinks the burglars used a loose brick from his backyard to kill Maddy.

“She was the gentlest dog. She never barked,” he said.

A second dog in the home, 50-pound Bobo, survived the ordeal.

“He must have gotten scared and ran to his crate,” Kagan said. “This probably saved his life.”

Kagan said police told him that these burglars don’t care about dogs or alarms. They’re only in the house 5 to 10 minutes and are long gone before the authorities arrive, he said the police told him.

Burglary Crews an Ongoing Concern 

Police warn of burglary crews continuing to target the Palisades despite two prolific criminals being caught.

Authorities Friday announced the arrests of former Palisades resident, Jami L. Burrows, and 23-year-old Drew Gipson in unrelated crimes.

But the burglaries have continued, raising concerns among many Palisadians, including Sunset Mesa residents, who are now planning to meet and discuss the issue.

Last week, Castellammare neighbors raised the same concerns, said Kim Clary, Castellammare HOA president.

The area once protected by its discrete location has become a target for burglars.

“There have been different types of burglaries in the area,” Clary said. “They come in nice cars and canvas the neighborhood.”

She said neighbors have become uncommonly suspicious of outsiders and were considering a variety of options, including gating the neighborhood or having manned kiosks.

The HOA is also looking at bids from local security companies and will likely sign with ACS, Clary said.

Residents have even created an alert messaging system, she added.

“The neighborhood has changed,” she said. “We were never that suspicous.”

Jacqueline Primo contributed to this report.