Police informant says Las Vegas 19-year-old was ‘driving force’ behind celebrity burglary case

Police: LA celebrity burglaries led by 19-year-old

LAS VEGAS — A young woman broke into the homes of Hollywood celebrities she admired, including Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Audrina Patridge, because she wanted to own their designer clothes and jewelry, an informant told police.

According to a Las Vegas police search warrant obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, Nicholas Prugo told Los Angeles police detectives that Rachel Jungeon Lee was the “driving force” behind the break-ins.

Prugo told police Lee, 19, would suggest a target, then Prugo would trawl the Internet for information about where they lived and when they would be away from home. Las Vegas police were involved because Lee lives there.

Police say the pair was part of a group of at least six that stole from October 2008 until September.

After watching a house, they would break into the poorly protected properties, often by simply walking through unlocked doors.

Prugo said they removed cash, narcotics and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, including family heirlooms.

Acting on a tip, police arrested 18-year-old Prugo on Sept. 17. He initially refused to talk to police but on Oct. 6, he and his attorney met with detectives and Prugo “provided a full confession, and implicated several other suspects,” court documents state.

“Prugo admitted to committing all of the burglaries and that Rachel Lee was with him during the residential burglaries of the homes of Audrina Patridge, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson and the Hilton family,” the search warrant states. “Prugo stated that it was Lee who would suggest a target and that he would surf the Internet to learn where the celebrity lived as well as the target’s travel itinerary.”

Prugo said Lee was motivated by her desire to “own the designer wardrobes of the Hollywood celebrities she admired.”

At least six people have been arrested in the case. They include 18-year-olds Courtney Ames and Alexis Neiers, and Diana Tamayo, 19.

Ray Lopez Jr. and Jonathan Ajar, both 27 also were arrested. Ajar faces 10 felony charges after detectives found drugs and weapons at his home during a search. Ajar was convicted of a federal drug charge in 2002 and was not supposed to possess firearms.

The search warrant states Prugo told police he and Lee broke into Hilton’s house several times. At the Lohan house, the burglary crew gained entrance by prying open a window with a screwdriver then swiped luggage, clothing and jewelry including a Rolex wristwatch with a blue face, Prugo told police.

He said expensive watches were also a target at Bloom’s house, and several were stolen along with artwork and clothing.

Lee’s father, David Lee, knew about the burglaries and gave advice about avoiding arrest and prosecution, Prugo said. He allegedly told his daughter to bury the stolen property in the Nevada desert and told Prugo to join the military.

Attempts to find a number for David Lee were unsuccessful.

A search of the Las Vegas home Lee shared with her father turned up a piece of paper with the names of her accomplices which Las Vegas Detective Ethan Grimes confirmed were the other subjects identified in the crime ring.

Police also found three photos of Paris Hilton, designer jeans, three computers, a Korean passport, 204 $100 bills and less than one ounce of marijuana when they arrested Lee at the home in northwest Las Vegas on Oct. 22, according to the warrants.

Lee was booked at the Clark County jail on a charge of possession of stolen property charge and released after posting $3,000 bail, Morgan said. Charges were not immediately filed and prosecutors in Los Angeles asked police to investigate her further.

Morgan said she did not know if Lee was represented by a lawyer. She could not immediately be reached Friday for comment.

Prosecutors have filed felony residential burglary charges against Neiers, Ames, Tamayo and Lopez Jr.

Watkins reported from Los Angeles. and Associated Press Writer Raquel Maria Dillon contributed to this report from Los Angeles.