Inglewood homeowner confronts machete-wielding man who broke into his car

Machete-wielding burglar in Inglewood

An Inglewood resident is sharing video of a man with a machete breaking into his car on his property. The man confronted the burglar, who left the machete behind. The community thinks the man is responsible for other break-ins in the area.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For several weeks now, an armed burglar has been terrorizing an Inglewood community.

Luis Cruz got the shock of his life when a man wielding a machete broke into his property recently.

"You don't really expect to see someone walking around with a machete," he said.
The break-in occurred around 1 a.m. on the 10000 block of Mansel Avenue in Inglewood. The thief, dressed in all black and wearing a mask, was caught checking a door to see if it was unlocked. Upon hearing noises, Cruz stepped outside and discovered the stranger inside his car.

Luis immediately confronted the burglar.

"You need to step out… you need to step out," Cruz demanded.

The burglar complied, leaving behind a large machete.

"He's really bold for going inside someone's property… checking doors and trying to see what he can steal," Cruz added.

People in the community think this same man has been breaking into multiple homes and vehicles throughout Inglewood. He carries a machete in some incidents, while in others, he wields a hammer.

"He's still doing it as of today… someone posted a video of him breaking in last night into their property," Cruz said. "This guy… doesn't seem like he's gonna stop."

Cruz said he decided to go public with his story to warn others in his community.

"Just stay vigilant," he urged. "Check your surroundings, make sure you lock your doors and vehicles, and just be aware… if you see someone suspicious, alert someone."