Ellen DeGeneres, Portia De Rossi's Montecito Mansion Burglarized; Expensive Jewelry, Watches Stolen

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s lavish mansion in Montecito, California was reportedly burglarized on the Fourth of July, a report said.

In a statement obtained by E! News, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said that “high-value jewelry and watches” were taken from the couple’s property on July 4, though the specific items were not revealed. Authorities believe that DeGeneres and de Rossi’s home, which they purchased for $27 million last year, was targeted because of their celebrity status.

It was not confirmed whether the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” host and her wife of 12 years were at their property when the incident occurred.

Page Six reported that detectives and forensic technicians are working on the scene. The sheriff’s office is also in discussions with other authorities to determine whether or not the break-in at DeGeneres and de Rossi’s house is related to other celebrity burglaries around the area.

Although the authorities did not reveal which stars they were pertaining to, several burglaries in celebrity homes were reported in 2018. According to ABC, the properties of David Spade, Alanis Morisette, Christina Milian and Nicki Minaj also experienced break-ins.

This news came on the heels of reports regarding the alleged “toxic” work environment and culture on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” In a story published July 16, 10 former staffers and one current employee told Buzzfeed News how executive producers of the show enabled this type of atmosphere on the set.

One testimony from a Black former employee revealed that she received racist remarks and suffered “microaggressions” while working for “Ellen.” She also noted how another staffer who did the same work she did got higher pay. When she brought this matter up, she was reportedly scolded by management.

According to an Us Weekly source, DeGeneres makes her employees sign a nondisclosure agreement once hired. “You can’t say anything, even nice things, even if you get fired, even years after you’ve left,” the insider said.

Meanwhile, “Ellen” executive producers Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin and Andy Lassner said in a joint statement that they have been trying to foster an “open, safe and inclusive work environment” and that they were “heartbroken” over news that staffers had negative experiences on the set.