Seven men were in custody Tuesday after allegedly burglarizing a jewelry store in Glendale and attempting to hit another in La Verne, police said.
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The theft was discovered May 27 when Glendale police responded to a burglary at Bidrussian Jewelry in the 1100 block of South Glendale Avenue.
"Officers discovered that a hole had been cut through the roof of the business and an unknown amount of jewelry had been stolen," according to a Glendale Police Department statement. "No suspects were in custody at the time."
Burglary detectives worked with other agencies to identify a group of suspects and placed them under surveillance, police said.
On Sunday evening, investigators learned the group was planning another heist at Rodeo Jewelers in the 1500 block of Foothill Boulevard in La Verne, according to police.
"As the suspects attempted to gain entry through the roof, law enforcement officers coordinated to take the group into custody," Glendale police said. "The suspects also used signal jammers and cut wires to the location during the incident. A total of eight suspects were observed at the scene."
With assistance from the La Verne, Claremont and Glendora police departments and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies from the San Dimas Station, detectives arrested seven of the suspects.
They were identified as Jose Millafil, Javier Sepulveda, Cristian Gonzalezaburto, Luka Pazitiani, Vera Matias, Victor Iturriagalopez and Edson Gonzalez. All remained in Glendale police custody.
"All suspects are foreign nationals believed to be involved in similar crimes spanning both their countries of origin and the United States," police said.
There was no word on the eighth suspect seen in La Verne.
Anyone with information was urged to contact the Glendale Police Department's Burglary Unit at 818-548-3127.
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