Four storefronts smashed in Burbank burglaries, police say
A quiet Burbank street was littered with shattered glass Friday morning after police said at least four businesses were burglarized before dawn.
The incidents were reported around 2:40 a.m. in the 3200 block of West Magnolia Boulevard, according to Lt. J.J. Puglisi of the Burbank Police Department.
The stores were small boutiques, he said, adding that “some clothing and a small amount of cash” were taken from at least one business.
Karyn Canton, owner of Classic Hardware Collective, said Friday that about $150 was stolen from the cash box in her shop, which sells clothes and handmade jewelry.
She said she didn’t understand why thieves would target the row of stores.
“It’s a small, basically mom-and-pop shop type of community,” she said of the area, which is known as Magnolia Park. “That’s what makes it so odd that we would be targeted because it does make it feel a little bit personal.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti and Police Chief Michel Moore said none of the 14 suspects remains in custody, pointing to zero-bail policies put in place because of the pandemic.
Puglisi said the incident did not appear to follow the same pattern as the spate of smash-and-grab robberies that have been plaguing the Los Angeles area, which have in many cases involved high-end retail stores and occurred while the businesses were open.
The incidents have left many on edge, with Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday seeking to reassure the public that shopping centers and malls are safe places to shop during the holiday season.
“It kind of cuts to the heart of what we believe a city should be,” he said of the recent robberies.
Yet Garcetti and the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday also announced that 14 suspects arrested in connection with the smash-and-grabs, including one juvenile, had been released from custody, either after posting bail or without bail.
LAPD Chief Michael Moore said the perpetrators were “capitalizing” on zero-bail policies that were put in place last year for certain crimes, including burglary, as a public health measure to reduce jail populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s what happens when there’s no consequences,” Puglisi said Friday.
No suspects have been identified in the Burbank burglaries, he said.
Amy Jordan, owner of Slone Vintage, said she spent the morning sweeping up the glass but was otherwise open for business.
“We’re a strong community,” she said. “We’re getting everything fixed, and we’re just going to move forward.”
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