Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi's 'holiday was a nightmare' as they were inside Montecito home during burglary
For those complaining about not having a proper Fourth of July this year, comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her actor wife Portia de Rossi's "holiday was a nightmare," sources revealed. The couple had a break-in at their home on July 4, while their were inside the house.
Despite DeGeneres, 62, and the 47-year-old Arrested Development star being present, the suspect or suspects escaped without being detected by any of their security equipment, TMZ has revealed: "The couple has reportedly drastically upgraded their security measures to prevent anything of the kind in the future."
Sources have reported that the mansion was accessed via the back door. It's yet to be revealed if DeGeneres or Rossi had a run-in with the burglars or aware of a robbery happening at the moment. They have hired a new security firm in the aftermath of it all, along with new laser sensor systems and cameras around the home's perimeter. Armed security guards have been hired to patrol the grounds, as the couple maintains their silence on the break-in.
According to TMZ, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office believes the couple was "targeted due to the victim’s celebrity status." Although there's no word on the value of the items stolen from the Montecito mansion, they are believed to be "high-value jewelry and watches." The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office also mentioned an ongoing investigation to check if this burglary is connected to other recent home break-ins. There's no indication that they are connected, but the cops have advised residents against sharing on social media about going on vacation. Noting what attracts thieves, they also suggested leaving the house lights and television on to deter them.
DeGeneres bought the $27 million, 8,188-square-foot, Balinese-style home in early 2019. Other celebrity residents of Montecito include Oprah Winfrey, with a 42-acre estate, called the Promised Land. The news of Ellen and Portia's home being robbed came within a week of the couple mourning their dog Wolf. "Last night we had to say goodbye to our dog Wolf. He brought us so much love and joy. I hope we did the same for him."
Among the many other crises, DeGeneres's former employees have come forward to claim that her talk show runs on a toxic work environment. "She really needs to take more responsibility. If she wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what's going on. I think the executive producers surround her and tell her, 'Things are going great, everybody's happy', and she just believes that but it's her responsibility to go beyond that," an unnamed staff, among few others, shared with Buzzfeed. "That 'be kind' bulls**t only happens when the cameras are on. It's all for show. I know they give money to people and help them out, but it's for show," another former employee told the outlet.
About the rising commotion and expose, another anonymous source told Us Weekly: "They've been calling and texting each other about the story. They're loving that the truth - which has been an open secret for years in the industry - is finally receiving more interest."