Pair suspected of diamond ring thefts in Glendale, Sherman Oaks
Authorities say they’ve nabbed two Los Angeles men earlier this month suspected of stealing diamond rings worth several thousands of dollars from jewelry stores in Sherman Oaks and Glendale.
Aram Minasyan, 32, and Ashot Khachatryan, 46, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft by the Glendale Police Department reportedly in connection with three thefts that took place last year.
The first theft occurred on Aug. 29, 2018, when the pair allegedly entered a jewelry store in Glendale and looked at several rings on display, according to police spokeswoman Tahnee Lightfoot.
She said when both men left the store an employee noticed that a $13,000 ring had been switched out with a similar looking, fake, cubic-zirconia ring.
Lightfoot said the men went to a Sherman Oaks jewelry store the next day, where they allegedly stole a ring there by switching it out for the one taken in Glendale. The value of the other ring is unknown.
The third theft occurred on Dec. 22 at a department store in Glendale, where a $40,000 ring was stolen. Lightfoot said the men were attempting to distract a store employee while examining the ring.
When the employee demanded it back, the pair allegedly handed over a different ring and ran out of the store with the real one.
Minasyan and Khachatryan were eventually identified through surveillance footage from the third robbery and taken into custody on Jan. 10, according to Lightfoot.
The two were released the same day after each posted $50,000 bail.
The thefts remain under investigation.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
