Attempted Burglary Thwarted By Neighbor's Camera Setup, Paintball Gun: Report

LOS ANGELES, CA — Amid a rash of burglaries in the San Fernando Valley, one man with an elaborate security system scared off a would-be burglary of his neighbor's house with bright lights and a paintball gun, ABC 7 reported.

Officers were sent to the 5400 block of Aura Avenue in Tarzana, south of the 101 Freeway, just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police were seeking three to four men wearing masks who fled in a four-door sedan.

The suspects were scared off by Julian Harper-Smith, who lives across the street from the $3.5 million home the men were targeting, ABC 7 reported.

Harper-Smith has a system of 40 cameras set up around the neighborhood, which he monitors from a trailer parked on the street. After he spotted the suspects on camera, he sprung into action, flashing a bright light at them and firing paintballs and pepper balls in their direction, ABC 7 reported.

"The thievery that goes on around here, it happens all the time," he said. "If you keep your windows locked, your doors locked, they're most likely not gonna go in. Back in the day, they used to break the windows. Unless they see something, they're not breaking your window."

Surveillance footage obtained by ABC 7 shows the suspects running back toward their car and Harper-Smith firing the rounds at them as they drove away.

Tuesday night's incident follows a series of recent home burglaries in surrounding areas, including in Woodland Hills and Encino.

City News Service contributed to this report.