Second man arrested in Laguna Beach jewelry burglaries

A second man was arrested Wednesday in connection with burglaries targeting four Laguna beach jewelry businesses last summer, police said.

On July 26, employees reported that more than $200,000 in merchandise had been stolen from the four businesses at the Shops at the Cliffs center on South Coast Highway, according to police.

Surveillance video from the shopping center showed two well-dressed men leaving the scene.

Detectives identified one of them through DNA on a tool used in the burglaries, police said.

Edward Torrison of Oceanside was arrested in September and pleaded guilty a month later to four counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of grand theft and one count of receiving stolen property. He also admitted to a sentencing enhancement allegation of causing property damage in excess of $65,000, according to Orange County Superior Court records. He was sentenced to 32 months in state prison.

However, a second suspect remained at large.

Based on interviews and cellphone records, Laguna Beach detectives went to Oceanside on Wednesday to stake out several possible addresses for the man.

Eventually, Alexander Kenneth Joe Aguirre, 26, walked out of one of the homes to smoke a cigarette, said Laguna police Sgt. Jim Cota.

Aguirre was arrested on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. Detectives said they found jewelry in his bedroom that they believe is connected to the Laguna Beach burglary case.

Aguirre was booked into Orange County Jail in Santa Ana with bail set at $200,000, according to jail records.

Authorities will contact the jewelry businesses to return the merchandise, Cota said.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN