Suspects dressed as women to allegedly steal baby formula, police say

Two men dressed as women were arrested Saturday on suspicion of burglary after they allegedly stole four bottles of baby formula from a drugstore in Glendale, police said.

At around 2 p.m., Samuel Frank, 28, of Glendale and Darrin White, 20, of Long Beach reportedly entered the Rite Aid store at 531 N. Glendale Ave. dressed in women’s clothing, according to Glendale police spokeswoman Tahnee Lightfoot.

A loss-prevention agent saw them enter the store, walk directly to an aisle where Enfamil baby formula is sold and saw the men each pick up two cans of baby formula and stick them in their purses, she said.

After they exited the store without paying for the items, the agent contacted the suspects, advising them to hand over the merchandise, and police were notified, Lightfoot said.

Prior to the agent contacting the suspects, he placed his backpack on the ground near the store’s front door and later could not find it, she added.

Officers found that Frank had a car parked in the Rite Aid lot. A search of the vehicle revealed 24 Enfamil cans scattered on the floor, and 10 of the cans had Vons tracking numbers on them, according to police.

Officers found the agent’s backpack and clothes, which had reportedly been taken at some point during the incident and discarded under the vehicle, Lightfoot said.

A third man, identified as Edward Nino, 25, of Long Beach, was located outside the Rite Aid store and was determined to be involved with White and Frank, police said.

Nino was captured on surveillance footage entering the Rite Aid with White and Frank and exiting before they were detained by the loss-prevention agent.

During a search of Nino’s pockets, officers found a check and pay stub belonging to the Rite Aid agent that had been reportedly removed from his backpack. A warrant check revealed Nino had a warrant out for his arrest, Lightfoot said.

Officers then conducted a follow-up investigation at the Vons located at 311 W. Los Feliz Road, and it was confirmed Enfamil baby formula had been stolen from that location, Lightfoot added.

Surveillance footage also showed that three suspects were at the Vons store on Saturday.

Nino was arrested on suspicion of unlawfully possessing the check as well as a DUI warrant.