Burbank police arrest thieves who used "deceptive tactics" to steal jewelry from 81-year-old man
Two alleged thieves who used distraction techniques to steal jewelry from elderly victims were arrested in Burbank last week, police said.
In a news release from the Burbank Police Department, officers said that they were dispatched to the 100 block of E. Verdugo Avenue at around 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 regarding a theft in the area. Upon arrival, they spoke with the 81-year-old victim, who told them that a man and woman had approached him and used "deceptive tactics to steal his gold necklace."
Two days later, at around 12:45 p.m., police were called to the 2300 block of W. Clark Avenue after learning of another incident in which a male and female suspect attempted to steal from "elderly pedestrians" by distracting them.
They located and arrested the two suspects, 30-year-old Larixon Oinescu and 28-year-old Maria Grigore, without incident. After they were positively identified by the witnesses involved in theft on both dates, they were booked for felony elder abuse.
Police said that formal charges are pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
In recent years, Southern California police have issued a number of warnings over an increase in distraction thefts taking place. In early 2025, a former Dodgers batting practice coach had one of his World Series rings stolen by a duo of Romanian nationals in Arcadia. The two were arrested for a separate series of incidents in Orange County that same month.
Irvine police also arrested another distraction theft suspect in April 2025, who they said distracted her victims with a kiss before taking their jewelry. In late 2025, an East Los Angeles woman shared a message with the public, pleading for the return of a necklace holding her late daughter's ashes, which was stolen when a woman pretended to ask her for directions and hugged her in return. When she left, she was wearing a necklace that looked similar, but was switched out by the suspect, investigators said.