The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that the Montecito home of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi was burglarized on July 4.
The residence appears to have been targeted due to the victim’s celebrity status, according to sheriff's deputies.
Officials said the exact description of the items that were taken is not available for release, but they are described as "high-value jewelry and watches."
Sheriff’s detectives and forensics technicians have been conducting an extensive and on-going investigation, officials said.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is in contact with other law enforcement agencies to determine if this is related to additional recent celebrity home burglaries, according to a news release.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is reminding community members to take the following precautions to keep their home and valuables safe:
- Avoid social media posts that let people know that you are away on vacation
- Leave lights or a television on to give the appearance of someone being home
- Consider programmable lighting that can be scheduled to turn on and off
While community members are out of town, sheriff's deputies recommend:
- Make arrangements for your mail delivery so that it does not accumulate and showcase that nobody is home
- Inform your neighbors that you will be away and encourage them to report suspicious activity
- Inform the Sheriff’s Office that you will be away so we can provide extra patrol or premises checks by calling (805) 681-4100
Anyone with suspect information is encouraged to call Detective Daniel Kohli at 805-681-4150.
