Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have one of the most famous and glamorous post-royal lives, but their Montecito neighborhood has been hit by a string of crimes in recent weeks
(Image: Google Esrth)
Since bowing out of Royal life in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have set up shop in Montecito. The Californian sanctuary is a playground for the rich and famous—with neighbors like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Orlando Bloom.
But even amid Montecito’s plush landscapes, trouble can bubble up. Notable local media spilled the beans about a risqué occurrence early May.
The Montecito Journal reported that an officer stumbled on someone on probation “engaged in sexual intercourse inside a parked vehicle” after dark on Friday, May 2.
To add to the sizzle, cops found cocaine within the person’s wallet when conducting a search. This spicy scoop took place just down the road—barely under three miles—from where Harry and Meghan nestle on Rockbridge Road.
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Previously, chatting with The Cut, Meghan shared their deep pull towards their dwelling: “Because you walk in and go… Joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free.”, as recapped by the Express, reports the Mirror.
The Sussex pair plunked down $14.65m (£10.9m) for their haven, which now might fetch twice as much. In the wake of this cheeky car encounter, the Montecito Journal has highlighted a series of other lowlights nearby, such as an assault on a duo outdoors around twilight on Tuesday, April 29.
The couple moved to the neighbourhood for a quiet life(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In a disturbing incident in the exclusive Montecito neighborhood, a driver reportedly came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road and confronted two individuals, claiming they were trespassing. The situation escalated, with the suspect physically grabbing one of the victims by the collar and kicking the other when they attempted to intervene.
The suspect then fled the scene, prompting an investigation by local authorities.
Separately, a burglary was reported at a residence on Olive Mill Road on Friday, 2 May, merely two miles – or a five-minute drive – from the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to the report, thieves made off with a Glock pistol and high-end chairs from a locked storage container in the property’s backyard.
Montecito Village is known for being exclusive (Image: (Image: Getty))
No arrests have been made in connection with this incident.
This is not an isolated event, as the Express previously reported that the Montecito area has experienced a spate of other crimes. These incidents include a vehicle break-in and a resident reporting a suspicious individual “knocking on windows and looking into properties”.
Detective Anthony Nunez from the Special Crime Division shed light on the situation, attributing the burglaries to gangs primarily from Chile and Venezuela. These groups typically consist of three or four individuals working in tandem.
According to Nunez, “They conduct surveillance prior to the robbery to figure out your pattern of being at home and being away. [Then] they place cameras on the properties they are targeting.
“They are highly skilled and are in and out in three minutes, targeting primary bedrooms’ safe boxes and jewellery. They use signal jammers to stop your alarms, cell phones and home video surveillance [and] sell the stolen items back in their country of origin.”