Hermosa Beach police arrest home intruder after break-in while family, including 2 children, were inside

Hermosa Beach police arrested a suspect who allegedly broke into a home while the residents, including two small children, were still inside early Monday morning. 

In a news release shared by the Hermosa Beach Police Department, officers said they were called to a home on Manhattan Avenue at around 2:45 a.m. upon learning of a home invasion in progress. The 911 caller told police that they believed someone had entered their home through a window. 

"The reporting party communicated that two children, ages 3 and 5, were located inside the home on an upstairs level and said she would meet officers outside," the release said. 

Within two minutes, Hermosa Beach police said that officers from their department, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and El Segundo had responded to the scene to set up a perimeter, while a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helicopter "kept watch in case the suspect attempted to flee."

Police said that shortly after arriving at the home, the suspect opened the front door to flee but saw police and quickly shut the door before dead-bolting it. 

"The suspect then was observed running up the stairs towards the children's room," the release said. "Officers immediately forced entry to ensure the children's safety and located the suspect on the second floor. The suspect was taken into custody without incident, and the children were found safe and asleep in their room."

According to the news release, the home was ransacked and the suspect was found with property connected to the alleged burglary and other local thefts that had taken place earlier in the evening. 

No injuries were reported in the incident. Police have not yet identified the suspect.

"The wellbeing of those two children was our first priority from the moment we got the call," said a statement from Hermosa Beach Police Chief Landon Phillips. "Our officers responded without hesitation, and their quick thinking and coordination with our neighboring departments led to the quick capture of this dangerous suspect."