LOS ANGELES _ A 19-year-old man arrested by Los Angeles police after a break-in at the San Fernando Valley home of an NFL player during a game last week has been linked to recent burglaries at the homes of Yasiel Puig, Rihanna and Christina Milian.
Tyress Williams, 19, was detained Friday evening not far from Rams receiver Robert Woods' home, according to a source familiar with the investigation. A search of Williams' vehicle turned up items stolen from the athlete's home, said the source, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation.
After determining that Williams was a suspect in the Woods burglary and making an arrest about 11:30 p.m., a search of his vehicle yielded several items alleged to have been taken from the homes of Puig, and actress-singers Rihanna and Milian, according to the source. Records show Williams was formally booked shortly after midnight into an LAPD jail on suspicion of residential burglary. He listed his job as a landscaper.
Capt. Lillian Carranza, whose detectives at LAPD's commercial crimes division have been investigating the string of celebrity burglaries, is slated to hold a news conference at police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles announcing details off Williams' arrest Tuesday afternoon.
Williams also matched an image captured by a security camera during a recent break-in at Puig's home, according to the source.
Puig has been the victim of four burglaries, including two last month at his home in Encino. Like Woods', the latest burglary unfolded during game time. A security system, however, alerted Puig's entourage to the burglary, and they called police.
LAPD investigators suspect Williams deliberately targeted athletes during times they would be away from their homes.
While Puig was helping secure another Dodgers victory on a Tuesday night last month, investigators suspect Williams broke into his home on Louise Avenue.
Surveillance footage revealed that the intruders had broken in through a door, according to sources.
Burglars first hit a home Puig owns in Sherman Oaks in March 2017 and made off with at least $170,000 worth of jewelry. He was one of several celebrities whose homes were seemingly targeted by burglary crews seeking high-end jewelry and items sometimes kept in safes.
About an hour after the Dodgers lost Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, officers responded to another burglar alarm at Puig's Encino home. Officers found a smashed window and items missing. The LAPD's commercial crimes division is investigating the break-in along with the jewelry theft.
A third burglary occurred at Puig's residence a month ago, shortly after the end of a Dodgers game. Security cameras linked to a cellphone captured two people trying to break in. Puig, or a member of his entourage, was able to use a speaker on the home's security system to yell at the men, who ran away.
On Sept.18, two suspects ransacked Puig's residence and then found a safe in the second-floor master bedroom. On a video, one of the suspects can be seen kicking in the door. The pair then dragged the safe from the master bedroom, down the stairs and through the living room to the front door, according to police.
The suspects fled, leaving the safe in the entrance. About $10,000 in damage was caused to the residence. An inventory is being conducted to determine the remainder of the property loss.
The San Fernando Valley has experienced a spate of celebrity burglaries this year, including break-ins at the home of rapper Wiz Khalifa. A former home of singer Post Malone also was hit.
In 2017, burglars broke into the homes of a dozen other celebrities across the Valley and the Westside. Those break-ins included the Brentwood mansion of Alanis Morissette, where thieves made off with a safe containing $2 million in jewelry and other valuables. In another incident, nearly $500,000 in valuables were stolen from the home of NBA guard Nick Young.
