Suspect Arrested In Violent Westside Home Invasion Robbery

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man suspected of tying up and pistol-whipping a 71-year-old woman during a home invasion robbery in Beverly Crest is in custody today, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police arrested Dillon Anthony Klincke, 31, of Los Angeles on suspicion of robbery within hours of Wednesday's home invasion.

The robbery occurred shortly before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 6600 block of West 5th Street.

"Once inside the location the suspect pistol whipped the victim and demanded access to a safe that contained a large amount of expensive jewelry," according to the LAPD. "The suspect gained access to the safe, removed the jewelry and fled the location with the victim’s property. The victim sustained bruises and lacerations as a result of being struck by the suspect."

The suspect, wearing a "Halloween" type mask made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry, according to authorities. Investigators don't believe the crime was a follow-home robbery, like so many of the home invasions plaguing the city of late.

Klincke was arrested on Wednesday in the 1200 block of Meadowbrook Avenue, and was being held on $175,000 bail. Police did not say how he was found nor what evidence tied him to the crime.

Fox11 reported that the woman owns a business that involves collecting jewelry, and investigators were looking into the possibility she was targeted by someone who knew she had expensive merchandise in her home.

"It's just unbelievable. This was always a quiet, safe neighborhood," area resident Jason Anish told Fox11. "There were little things that went on -- car break-ins -- but nothing major where you would see people getting pistol-whipped or, you know, zip-tied. So, it's truly unfortunate. It's a sad sign of the times right now."

Anish called for change in a city where violent crime is skyrocketing and spreadingto neighborhoods that rarely had a problem with serious crime in the past.

"It's just awful," Anish told ABC7 Eyewitness News. "Obviously things have changed over the past couple of years. Crime is rampant in this city. Something needs to happen. Especially when people are being tied up in their homes and they're being held up for valuables. Something's gotta change. It can't continue down this path."

City News Service contributed to this report.