Pawn shop owners arrested for stolen goods in connection to LA 'knock-knock' burglaries

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two downtown Los Angeles pawn shop owners who allegedly bought items stolen in a string of "knock-knock" burglaries were arrested Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Police Department detectives took inventory of the merchandise in the four businesses they shut down in the morning along Broadway between 6th and 7th streets.

Ismael Monje and Farshad Yaghoobi were booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property, police said.

At a news conference, police displayed dozens of pictures of suspects they say would take stolen merchandise to the stores of Monje and Yaghoobi. The suspects are believed to be responsible for the "knock-knock" burglaries in West L.A. and the San Fernando Valley.

For eight months, the LAPD worked together with detectives from the Glendale and Burbank police departments, as well as the IRS during the investigation. In all, 55 suspects have been arrested, including one woman and four juveniles.

The task force has been investigating burglaries in generally affluent neighborhoods, and authorities have returned stolen items valued at $150,000 to their rightful owners, officials said.

Get more Los Angeles News »

los angeles news, sid garcia

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•