In the latest break-in at the home of a celebrity or professional athlete, the home of Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto was targeted in an attempted burglary Wednesday while the star pitcher was away with the team playing against the Cincinnati Reds.
Los Angeles police officers were called to the 26-year-old’s Hollywood Hills home Wednesday early morning after someone reportedly jumped a gate into the property.
Officer Drake Madison said police received a call of the attempted break-in around 5 a.m. on Nightingale Drive on Wednesday, when a man was seen jumping the gate.
The man, according to security at the scene, broke a rear glass door of the home.
Security responded, and the man fled before LAPD officers arrived at the scene, Drake said.
The suspect did not appear to have taken anything from the home, Drake said. No arrests have been made.
Public records indicate the home belongs to the Japanese pitching star.
The incident occurred while Yamamoto and the rest of the Dodgers were away in Ohio, playing a three-game series against the Reds.
Yamamoto started the first game of the series on Monday, leading the team to a 5-2 win at Great American Ball Park.
LAPD would not identify the owner of the home, but police have seen a recent increase in burglaries at the homes of celebrities and professional athletes across Southern California.
In December, the FBI reached out to professional sports leagues, warning that organized groups were targeting the homes of professional athletes, according to ABC News.
The warning detailed how the groups, often composed of South American nationals, have conducted extensive research before targeting the homes, including searching for the athletes’ playing schedules or checking social media posts to verify they were traveling.
Celebrities have also been targeted recently. In June, thieves broke into Brad Pitt’s Los Feliz home while the A-list actor was attending the premiere of his latest movie, “F1” in London.
In February, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s home was ransacked near Beverly Hills. The couple was also not home at the time.
That same month, the West Los Angeles home of LAFC striker Olivier Giroud was also targeted.
