Man arrested for burglarizing handbag store in Burbank; police searching for second suspect

Burbank police arrested a man burglarizing a designer handbag boutique on Thursday. 

According to officers, the burglary was reported at around 1:40 a.m. in the 3400 block of West Magnolia Boulevard when a neighboring business owner witnessed "men breaking into Luxmary Handbags through the rear door."

"When police officers arrived, they saw a white Ford Econoline van backed up to the rear entrance of Luxmary Handbags and noticed the rear door to the business had been pried open, leaving pieces of the door frame on the ground," said Burbank Police Department Sergeant Brent Fekety. 

Upon their arrival, the suspects fled from the business. One ran on foot, while the other got into the van and attempted to drive from the area "at a high rate of speed," according to police.

"Officers quickly apprehended the man who fled on foot," said Fekety. "The suspect who drove away in the van only made it a short distance before he lost control and crashed into a bus stop on the southwest corner of Hollywood Way and Chandler Boulevard. The driver then fled on foot and has not yet been found."

Investigators learned that the van had been stolen, and recovered the stolen merchandise. 

They identified the suspected they arrested as 36-year-old Canoga Park resident David Veliz. He is being held on $135,000 bail.

Police said that the business has been targeted several times in recent years.