Ellen DeGeneres’ home in Montecito, California, was burglarized earlier this month. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the daytime talk show host’s residence was targeted by thieves on July 4.
Authorities said DeGeneres’ home was targeted due to her “celebrity status” and that the items taken from the property included “high value jewelry and watches.”
“Forensics technicians have been conducting an extensive and on-going investigation,” the office explained in a statement released to 360aproko, adding that the department is also in contact with other agencies “to determine if this is related to additional recent celebrity home burglaries.”
Authorities could not confirm, however, whether DeGeneres or wife Portia de Rossi were home at the time of the incident.
DeGeneres purchased the over 8,000-square-foot Montecito estate in 2019 for $27 million. It is one of a number of homes the comic owns in California.
The news of the burglary comes amid a brewing controversy surrounding DeGeneres after several members of the staff and crew on The Ellen DeGeneres Show anonymously spoke to BuzzFeed News, claiming there was a “toxic work environment” on the set of the talk show.
