A string of highly professional heists has struck Southern California, with thieves targeting family-owned jewelry stores in Glendale and Simi Valley. In the early hours of a Tuesday morning, burglars used blowtorches to breach safes at the Bidrussian Jewelry Store on South Glendale Avenue, making off with a reported fortune in valuables. The store, a staple of the Glendale community for over 40 years, faced a devastating loss as the thieves entered through the roof and melted their way into the store's secure storage, NBC Los Angeles detailed.
With no arrests made as of early Thursday afternoon, the local law enforcement continues to investigate the incident. The owner, Manail Bidrussian, lamented the loss, saying, "It's a family legacy that we have not only our merchandise… we had stuff that my mom had saved in there," in a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles. Only days prior, 5 Star Jewelry in Simi Valley was similarly hit by burglars who tunneled through an adjacent business to access the store, as reported by KTLA.
The methodical nature of the thefts suggests a seasoned crew at work. Security systems appeared to be no match for the burglars, who seemed knowledgeable about disabling alarms and surveillance, leaving little evidence of their intrusion. "I'm not sure how they knew where it is. If they have motions or like sensors where they know where this stuff is. I have no idea," Manail Bidrussian told ABC7. The Bidrussian family has estimated losses in the millions and started a GoFundMe account to seek community support in the wake of the burglary, noted by KTLA.
Investigators have not yet confirmed a connection between the two burglaries, but the modus operandi of entering through roofs and the sophisticated neutralization of security measures has raised suspicions of a possible link. Surveillance footage from the Simi Valley incident is being circulated among law enforcement in hopes of identifying the perpetrators and preventing further crimes. In these trying times, the businesses affected are reaching out for aid and any information that could lead to solving the case can be provided to the Glendale Police Department, as indicated by the information sourced from the Bidrussian family and law enforcement officials to FOX LA.
