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Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
July 3 2004
Local man wanted in alleged theft ring
Six men accused in jewelry heists that netted $5M. LCF store was one
of their alleged robberies.
By Robert Chacon, News-Press
LA CRESCENTA - Los Angeles County Sheriff's detectives are looking
for a Glendale business owner they believe is a member of a
jewelry-store theft ring responsible for stealing items worth
millions from businesses across Los Angeles and Orange counties,
including a store in La Caņada Flintridge.
The Sheriff's Department has a $2-million arrest warrant for Ara
Karapetian, 42, of Glendale. He owns Mirage Clothing and Armenian
Express Inc., a money transfer business in Glendale, Det. Richard
Lutz of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station said. Both businesses
are at 620 S. Glendale Ave.
Detectives have arrested six men in connection with 17 jewelry store
break-ins that took items worth $5 million, Lutz said.
Lutz said the men are members of a Russian-Armenian organized crime
group.
A multi-agency group, including the Los Angeles Police Department and
agencies from Orange County, spent hundreds of hours on surveillance,
and served search warrants on businesses and homes before making the
arrests last month, Lutz said.
"We have effectively stopped a major, major theft ring," he said.
Detectives from the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station began their
investigation May 12, when they arrested two men who were allegedly
spotted by the owner of a La Caņada Flintridge jewelry store as they
drove away with the store's safe in the back of a tow truck.
Avo Babayan was driving to his store, at 2147 Foothill Blvd., when he
noticed the tow truck heading in the opposite direction. He turned
his car and chased the truck, and yelled for the help of passing
sheriff's deputies.
Babayan's store, Aviani Jewelers, received about $10,000 damage when
the alleged burglars entered his store through the roof and pulled
the safe out the front door with a winch.
"I am very happy, and so should every store owner that was targeted,
that they were caught," Babayan said. The theft ring targeted
Armenian-owned jewelry stores, and conducted the burglaries by
entering through the roof and pulling safes out the front door, Lutz
said.
Sheriff's detectives urge anyone in the community with clues to the
whereabouts of Karapetian to call the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's
Station at 248-3464.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
LATimes.com
July 3 2004
Local man wanted in alleged theft ring
Six men accused in jewelry heists that netted $5M. LCF store was one
of their alleged robberies.
By Robert Chacon, News-Press
LA CRESCENTA - Los Angeles County Sheriff's detectives are looking
for a Glendale business owner they believe is a member of a
jewelry-store theft ring responsible for stealing items worth
millions from businesses across Los Angeles and Orange counties,
including a store in La Caņada Flintridge.
The Sheriff's Department has a $2-million arrest warrant for Ara
Karapetian, 42, of Glendale. He owns Mirage Clothing and Armenian
Express Inc., a money transfer business in Glendale, Det. Richard
Lutz of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station said. Both businesses
are at 620 S. Glendale Ave.
Detectives have arrested six men in connection with 17 jewelry store
break-ins that took items worth $5 million, Lutz said.
Lutz said the men are members of a Russian-Armenian organized crime
group.
A multi-agency group, including the Los Angeles Police Department and
agencies from Orange County, spent hundreds of hours on surveillance,
and served search warrants on businesses and homes before making the
arrests last month, Lutz said.
"We have effectively stopped a major, major theft ring," he said.
Detectives from the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station began their
investigation May 12, when they arrested two men who were allegedly
spotted by the owner of a La Caņada Flintridge jewelry store as they
drove away with the store's safe in the back of a tow truck.
Avo Babayan was driving to his store, at 2147 Foothill Blvd., when he
noticed the tow truck heading in the opposite direction. He turned
his car and chased the truck, and yelled for the help of passing
sheriff's deputies.
Babayan's store, Aviani Jewelers, received about $10,000 damage when
the alleged burglars entered his store through the roof and pulled
the safe out the front door with a winch.
"I am very happy, and so should every store owner that was targeted,
that they were caught," Babayan said. The theft ring targeted
Armenian-owned jewelry stores, and conducted the burglaries by
entering through the roof and pulling safes out the front door, Lutz
said.
Sheriff's detectives urge anyone in the community with clues to the
whereabouts of Karapetian to call the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's
Station at 248-3464.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress