Masked Suspects Spray Intervening Neighbor During Studio City Burglary

STUDIO CITY, CA — A man was sprayed with mace or "bear spray" by two masked man wearing all-black clothing after the pair broke into his next- door neighbor's home in Studio City, authorities said Sunday.

Officers were dispatched at about noon Friday to a residence in the 4200 block of Denny Avenue, near Lankershim Boulevard and Moorpark Street, where they took down a burglary report and an assault with a deadly weapon report, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The victim had rushed over after his neighbors, who were not home at the time, alerted him that their alarm had gone off, according to the California Post, which reported that the man was sprayed outside his neighbors' house.

The suspects fled the location in a white Kia, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident was urged to call the LAPD's North Hollywood station at 818-754-8300, or during non-business hours and weekends, at 877-527-3247. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org.

The San Fernando Valley has been plagued by a rash of home burglaries in recent weeks, prompting Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to direct LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell to increase patrols in the area.