A suspect accused of breaking into a Beverly Hills mansion of Lionel Richie, who was reportedly inside his home at the time of the incident, has been arrested, officials said.
Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to the singer-songwriter’s 90210 neighbour in the early hours of Friday morning, NBC Los Angeles reported. They received an emergency call just after midnight about a suspected intruder on the property.
Cops worked quickly to secure the area and a subsequent search of the neighborhood turned up suspect Michael Bond. The 38-year-old was taken into custody near Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Glen, just a few blocks away from Richie’s home. He’s facing one count of residential burglary.
Police noted that while the 76-year-old Grammy winner was home at the time of the break-in, no injuries were reported. The would-be burglar was scared off by the security alarm and fled without taking anything.
The incident was captured on surveillance video, sources told NBC LA, and investigators are still working to comb through the footage from Friday morning.
In a statement to the station, Richie expressed his appreciation for law enforcement’s prompt response and the suspect’s quick arrest. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
