Pair arrested for allegedly stealing lottery tickets

Police say they found stolen scratchers at the couple's hotel.

April 11, 2011|By Veronica Rocha, veronica.rocha@latimes.com

GLENDALE — Two Glendale 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.

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