Luxury eyewear boutique House of Frames on Fairfax Avenue was targeted in a smash-and-grab heist that resulted in more than $150,000 worth of high-end eyewear being stolen. Known for serving celebrity clients like Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Cardi B, the store became the scene of a dramatic break-in after thieves used a stolen pickup truck to ram through a reinforced door.
Surveillance footage captured the suspects smashing display cases with baseball bats and crowbars before fleeing with the merchandise. Store manager Simon Babouchian expressed his frustration to ABC7, noting, “The first time was a shock, and the second time was like 'Is this really happening again?'” This marks the second burglary at the store in recent weeks, with the first occurring during Super Bowl weekend.
Despite heightened security measures—including the addition of a cement wall—thieves managed to bypass the protections by using brute force on the vehicle, which was later found abandoned and confirmed as stolen.
In a statement to CBS Los Angeles, Babouchian questioned the sustainability of rebuilding: “You have to evaluate stuff, is it worth staying? Is it worth rebuilding? Will we get the help? We're optimistic and we know we can get back up, but it just gets harder. The emotional stuff doesn't go away.”
The break-in is part of a troubling pattern of similar crimes in the area, including other eyewear stores in Venice and nearby neighborhoods. Babouchian has called on city officials to take more concrete steps to support small businesses as thefts rise in frequency. No arrests have been made as police continue to investigate the incident.
