Crime & Safety
Police Nab Suspect in Attempted Hollywood Burglary
Police believe the man who attempted to burglarize a Hollywood gas station is the same man who broke into a gun store.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- A 24-year-old man who allegedly burglarized a Burbank gun store and attempted to burglarize a Hollywood gas station was behind bars Thursday.
Officers responded about 7 a.m. on Nov. 22 to a burglary alarm at AEGIS Trading Enterprises at 1004 W. Magnolia Blvd. and found the rear door had been pried open, said Burbank police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.
"A search of the building revealed the suspect had made entry, stole several handguns and fled the scene before the officers arrived," Losacco said.
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A check of surveillance video led investigators to a distinctive black Mercedes-Benz, photos of which were circulated to area law enforcement agencies, Losacco said.
"Later that day, Los Angeles Police Department detectives identified the same vehicle in an attempt burglary at AutoBahn Fuels, 3167 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood," Losacco said.
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Surveillance video from that location led detectives to 24-year-old suspect Tigran Zmrukhtyan of Glendale, who was known to local law enforcement, according to Losacco.
Detectives cased out Zmrukhtyan's last known residence in Glendale on Nov. 23, where the Mercedes-Benz from the Hollywood burglary was parked, and that afternoon spotted Zmrukhtyan walking away from his apartment building.
"The officers attempted to contact and detain Zmrukhtyan, but he tried to flee on foot," Losacco said. "The officers were able to catch up to and detain him after a short foot chase."
A warrant was obtained to allow a search of Zmrukhtyan's home and vehicle. Detectives located all seven handguns taken from the Burbank gun store in a crawlspace in his apartment building . In the vehicle, they found bolt cutters, a pry bar and methamphetamine, Losacco said.
"The vehicle Zmrukhtyan was driving was determined to be stolen from Van Nuys," Losacco said.
Zmrukhtyan, who was being held without bail and was due in court Thursday in Burbank, has been convicted of five felonies since March 2013 -- including burglary, grand theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Losacco said.
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