Police say they found stolen scratchers at the couple's hotel
GLENDALE, Calif. — Two Glendale, California, residents were arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing dozens of lottery scratchers after distracting a store clerk, police said.
Melody Keshishzadeh, 20, and Sevak Vardumyan, 21, were arrested about 4:40 p.m. at the Days Inn on Pioneer Drive after police spotted their Cadillac in the parking lot, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
Either way, the scratchers would have been a losing prospect.
Stolen lottery tickets and scratchers are reported to California Lottery authorities, who log the thefts and barcode numbers, Lorenz said. Lottery authorities are then immediately alerted to anyone who's trying to redeem a winning ticket or scratcher that has been stolen.
So for those who steal and then expect to cash in, "they've got another thing coming," he added.
Keshishzadeh and Vardumyan on Sunday allegedly entered Central 76 gas station on the 900 block of North Central Avenue and asked the clerk for a warm bottle of water, Lorenz said.
As Keshishzadeh followed the clerk to retrieve the bottle, Vardumyan allegedly reached behind the store counter and stole dozens of lottery scratchers, Lorenz said.
The pair was caught on surveillance video footage, Lorenz said.
Soon after the burglary, police began searching for the pair and spotted the Cadillac parked at the hotel, he said.
They stopped the pair as they were preparing to leave and found lottery scratchers in Keshishzadeh's purse, he said. Police also found the water bottle.
More used scratchers were also found at the hotel, Lorenz said.
Both were listed as unemployed in police booking reports, and both had bail set at $20,000.
in a way I wish stories like this werent reported, or at least the information about the bar codes, just so more idiots will continue to steal lottery tickets only to find they are worth nothing -- even if the numbers match for a huge jackpot.
How stupid can people be!?!?!!
I am glad they are caught and will get what is coming to them...
I wish they would leave out the details..like: They were spotted in their Cadillac.
Funny how things are used to subtly sway opinion that have nothing to do with the original story.
Are details like that supposed to make us all agree, without a doubt, they deserve whatever punishment
they get?
Wrong is wrong no matter what you drive.
So what if they were driving a Ford Pinto...they stole lottery tickets and that makes them wrong no matter
who they are, what they wear, what they drive or whether they were employed or not.
I disagree, I see nothing wrong with that story. It's just standard Police report details like location, time, getaway vehicle, etc. Quite common. I don't see any lamestream media bias in it at all?
I'd prefer to have all the details rather than some watered down P.C. story with no details, thank you.
Although, being from LA, I see Glendale, the last names, and Cadillac, I am free to form my own picture about the incident, which may be different that what you were offended by.
I guess I just don't have one of those Enquiring minds..If a watered down story consist of who, what,
where, when and why...that's enough for me, thank you..even in my own area.
I was not offended, rather just turned off by needless details that seem to keep inquiring minds like yours
preferring more than what is important.
Hey, it's alright dr65. I just didn't understand why you got all bent out of shape because the report dared to mention needless details like the suspect's vehicle type, but whatever floats your boat... ;)
Pair of ding-dongs,
No, because it's the tax payers who have to pay a judge and a defense attorney to hear these cases. Then, if someone is sent to jail, tax payers would have to pay for that also (i.e., room and board, utilities, personnel, healthcare, dental, and entertainments).
So, it is better to flood the news sources with this information, so that it will discourage many desperate people from choosing this money-making scheme! Sometimes the press can be an advantage via it's brainwashing methods.