2 Californians Accused Of Stealing Almost $40K In Glasses

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- From Roseville to Blaine to Minnetonka, two thieves have their eyes on something you wear on yours.

Prosecutors say two Californians – 38-year-old Beverly Sanchez Jarawith and 27-year-old Hector Astudillo -- made their way to the Midwest to steal eyeglasses from stores all over the cities.

"If you are accumulating numbers of high-end frames...it can add up into the thousands of dollars fairly quickly," said Tony Palumbo, the Anoka county attorney.

Jarawith and Astudillo allegedly took nearly $40,000 worth of frames.

"Usually when people come in pairs, the usual method of operation is for one to distract the store clerk while the other one takes," Palumbo said.

But what may have been most distracting is that Jarawith is expecting a child.

"That may have put people perhaps off their guard a little bit, when they thought that, you know, someone who was going to be a mother would not commit criminal activity," Palumbo said.

There's something else that makes this case unique: the county attorney says he's never seen a case involving only glasses.

"Usually it comes up with diamond rings or jewelry of that sort but not specifically...eye glasses," Palumbo said.

He says it's pretty clear why the suspects made that call.

"I suspect perhaps that they were lightweight, easy to conceal and of great value," Palumbo  said.

Police arrested the pair outside Ridgedale when an officer spotted a bag of glasses in their car.

A judge said the couple could get out of jail if they could make bond and so they are free till their court date.