Ellen DeGeneres was home with her wife when their mansion was burglarized

Yesterday, we reported that the home of talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was burglarized earlier this month. Now, it’s been revealed that DeGeneres was home with her wife Portia de Rossi at the time of the burglary.

Sources have told TMZ that DeGeneres and de Rossi were inside their Montecito, California mansion when it was broken into. It’s unclear if they had any contact with the thief or thieves, who made off with jewelry. The point of entry by the burglar was a back door, and DeGeneres has reportedly already taken steps to beef up her security to ensure that this never happens again.

A source said that these security improvements include “hiring a new security company, installing laser sensors and cameras around the entire property” as well as “hiring armed patrol guards.”

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release on Thursday that the burglary occurred on July 4.

“The residence appears to have been targeted due to the victim’s celebrity status,” the release stated. “The exact description of the items that were taken is not available for release, but they are described as high-value jewelry and watches.”

Authorities added that an “extensive and ongoing” investigation is being conducted by “sheriff’s detectives and forensics technicians.” The release went on to say that the “Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is in contact with other law enforcement agencies to determine” if the incident is “related to additional recent celebrity home burglaries.”

This comes days after a BuzzFeed News report came out in which ten people who previously worked on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” as well as one current employee claimed that the behind the scenes atmosphere on the program is rampant with “racism, fear and intimidation.”

One ex-staffer claimed that she was told by a show writer that they “only know the names of the white people who work here.” Another former employee alleged that they were told to take down a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for medical costs not covered by the show’s health insurance because it reflected poorly on “Ellen’s brand.”

Needless to say, things are not going well for DeGeneres right now.

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