Two men were arrested after police say a well-dressed intruder grabbed a box of wedding gifts containing cash and checks worth an estimated $60,000 at a Glendale, California, reception and fled in a waiting vehicle.
The theft occurred just after midnight on Aug. 30 at the Renaissance Banquet, where about 300 guests were attending the reception for Nadeen and George Farahat, according to the Glendale Police Department. Security camera footage released by investigators shows a man in a black shirt and shoes slip past event security, take a box of envelopes from the dance floor and run out the door before entering a black SUV.
Investigators later tracked the suspect, identified by police as Armean Shirehjini, to his home where they said they recovered a pile of checks and a significant amount of cash. Andranik Avetisyan was arrested as the alleged getaway driver. Sgt. Jose Baraja of the Glendale Police Department said officers recovered 26 checks and about $10,000 in cash but estimated the total loss at roughly $60,000.
Police said evidence collected during the arrests also led officers to discover drugs and firearms at each of the suspects' residences. Authorities described the incident as a crime of opportunity and said neither man had a prior criminal history in the department's records.
"Obviously, this person did hit the jackpot," Sgt. Baraja said. "We believe they got about $60,000 and a few checks. We did recover 26 checks in total and about $10,000." He added that Glendale's many banquet halls and frequent weekend events may have made the location a random target.
The bride, Nadeen Farahat, told a local station she was left "sobbing with my friends and cousins around me" after the theft. Her husband, George Farahat, said the couple are trying to focus on the ceremony and their marriage despite the incident. "We had a wonderful ceremony at our church. We had a really fun party with our family and friends, and we were able to celebrate up until the incident," he said. "We're trying to focus on the fun times, the important things to us, and the fact that we're married."
Police have not released formal charges in the case; they said the investigation remains active and that additional details will be provided as it develops. The Glendale Police Department urged anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators.
The arrests underscore concerns about security at large private gatherings and the vulnerability of unguarded gift tables. Police said they will continue to review the reception's security arrangements as part of the investigation and work to return recovered property to victims when possible.