Armed suspect seen prowling West Hills neighborhood remains at large

A community is concerned after an armed suspect was seen prowling a West Hills neighborhood and peering into windows.

Residents reported seeing the man peering into home windows as he wandered around a neighborhood near Stagg Street and Valley Circle Boulevard on Thursday night.

“I looked out the window and saw a man trying to break into my neighbor’s house,” said Brandon Taylor, a resident. “I saw him looking into windows.”

At times, the man peered into the backyard gates of several homes while continuing to stroll around. That’s when Taylor decided to observe the suspect and record the man on his cell phone.

“I followed him in my car and kept a safe distance,” Taylor said. “I watched him hop a fence into someone’s property so I called 911 at that time. I was on hold for about 27 minutes. They transferred me to a non-emergency [line].”

Eventually, Taylor decided to go home. Later that night, police received reports of the suspect prowling the same neighborhood at around 8:35 p.m.

“My husband always checks the camera before he goes to sleep and he noticed [the suspect],” said Jaymie Nevis, the owner of a business located near Platt Avenue and Vanowen Street.

Her husband checked the store’s security cameras at around 10:43 p.m. and spotted the suspect walking around while pointing what appeared to be a handgun.

“Oh, it’s absolutely a gun,” Nevis said. “You can see him working with it and he’s pointing it outward.”

The woman shared the alarming video with neighbors in the area, prompting many to remain cautious and on the lookout.

“It’s scary that it could be people coming around this close with a gun, walking around, prowling and looking for a place to get in,” said a concerned neighbor.

“We have a patrol here,” said another neighbor. “We have a homeowners association. We have received letters telling us to be on the lookout for anything suspicious.”

Los Angeles police said the suspect is described as a Hispanic man who was last seen wearing a blue shirt and dark-colored shorts.

“When you see a guy with a gun, that’s very disconcerting and it steps it up a level,” Nevis said. “He’s not just peeking over your fence. He’s now an armed individual.”

The suspect remains at large. Anyone with information on the case can call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.