Burglars, drugs, gangs: Harry and Meghan's Montecito home surrounded by chaos

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s California dream has hit a nightmare as their upscale Montecito neighbourhood is being shaken by a string of shocking crimes.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who moved to Montecito five years ago after stepping away from royal duties, now find themselves in the middle of a crime wave sweeping their celebrity-filled neighbourhood.

According to The Montecito Journal, a series of alarming incidents have recently taken place in the quiet Santa Barbara enclave — where stars like Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Gwyneth Paltrow also reside.

Among the reported crimes: A resident had their locked vehicle broken into, with luggage rifled through before the suspect was arrested.

Another local reported a suspicious person knocking on windows and peeking into homes, who turned out to be a suspected burglar.

A construction site was hit, with $3,000 worth of tools stolen.

In a separate incident, a suspect was found with methamphetamine and fentanyl following a domestic violence call.

Authorities have now issued urgent warnings to residents, as gangs from South America, including Chile and Venezuela, have been linked to these high-profile crimes.

At a Montecito Association meeting in February 2025, Detective Anthony Nunez from the Special Crimes Division said these gangs operate like pros.

“They conduct surveillance before the robbery, figure out your schedule, and even install hidden cameras on the properties they’re targeting,” he explained.

“They’re in and out in three minutes. They go straight for master bedrooms, safe boxes, and high-end jewelry. They’re using signal jammers to disable alarms, phones, and home security systems — then smuggle the loot out of the country.”

With the Sussexes’ $14 million mansion just a short drive from several reported incidents, concerns are mounting over whether even royalty is safe in Montecito anymore.

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