Wedding Crasher, Getaway Driver Charged In Glendale Reception Heist: DA

GLENDALE, CA — A wedding crasher who stole a gift box containing about $60,000 in gifts from a Glendale reception, as well as his getaway driver, have been arrested, according to police.

Armean Shirehjini, 41, of Sherman Oaks, and Andranik Avetisyan, 37, of Los Angeles, are each charged with one count of second-degree burglary, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Shirehjini is also charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance while armed with a working firearm. Avetisyan is also charged with a misdemeanor count of child endangerment.

The theft was reported at around 12:50 a.m. Aug. 31 at the Renaissance Banquet Hall on Central Avenue, where witnesses reported that a man had entered the hall, grabbed the box and fled, according to the Glendale Police Department.

Outside, surveillance cameras captured the man getting into the passenger seat of a Mercedes-Benz SUV and fleeing the area, police said.

Detectives identified the primary suspect as Shirehjini and Avetisyan as the getaway driver, according to police.

"Detectives executed search warrants at both suspects' residences and recovered a large amount of cash and dozens of checks made out to the victims from the wedding," the Glendale Police Department wrote in a statement. "In addition, several firearms and various narcotics were seized from both residences."

The couple told reporters shortly after their wedding about the theft impacted them.

"As soon as we found out what happened, you know, the music shut down, everything immediately stopped," bride Nadeen Farahat told KABC. "I ended up sitting on the dance floor sobbing with my friends and cousins around me.”

The thief used the bathroom and ordered a drink while he was at the reception, KABC reported.

"It's very brave. I think he even tipped the bartender," groom George Farahat told the outlet.