Jewelry Store Owners Recall Their Night of Terror

Ohan Abramyan sat helplessly in the back seat of his Mercedez-Benz SUV, a kidnapper on either side of him, another at the wheel. It was about 10:40 p.m. on April 23, and the three men, armed with handguns, were driving him to his North Hollywood jewelry store to carry out a robbery scheme that had begun at his Tujunga home.

The men told him to keep his head down—if he looked up at their faces, they’d kill him. And he feared for his wife, Sami, who was being held by at least one other accomplice back at the house. She had been tied up when the men forced their way into the couple’s home, ransacking it and robbing them of cash and jewelry.

But then, as the SUV continued toward the Abramyans’ store—Nancy’s Jewelry in the 12600 block of Sherman Way in North Hollywood—the scheme began to unravel as the Los Angeles Police Department quickly responded to reports of a robbery and kidnapping at Ohan's home and store. An accomplice back at the house called one of the kidnappers to report that a police cruiser had shown up in the neighborhood. About 15 minutes later, by Ohan's estimation, as the Mercedes pulled into the store’s parking lot, they found LAPD officers were there waiting as well.

Yet, despite the police response, the Abramyans’ kidnappers are still on the loose today, two months after the crime. The Abramyans are angry and police are admitting mistakes might have been made.

According to both Ohan Abramyan and an LAPD detective, an officer at the scene ushered the car away from the parking lot without realizing the occupants were the kidnappers and hostage the police were looking for. While the Abramyans acknowledge they were fortunate the LAPD thwarted the robbery of their store, they are still angry that the perpetrators were able to get away.

"How could they let this slip through their hands? [The kidnappers] could have killed my husband," Sami said.

Ohan said the officer who approached the car looked through both the driver's side and back windows, shining his flashlight on everyone inside—the three suspects, who Ohan described as Latinos about 20 to 25 years old; and himself, an Armenian in his 50s. The officer spoke Spanish to the men, and then allowed them to drive out of the parking lot, Ohan said.

Detective David Escoto of the LAPD’s Foothill Division said that while his office's investigation hasn't determined why the officer sent the suspects away, or what he said to them, he believed the mistake was the result of "human error." He said the officer may not have known the descriptions of the vehicle or the suspects at that moment.

APPAREL Commercial Center Using Closet Doors to Organize Closets

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Whether small and cramped, or big and busting at the hinges, closets should be organized all the time. Just because they're hidden from plain view doesn't mean you can neglect the contents. After all, a neat closet means you can find your things easily. Ultimately, this will result in a more organized, less cluttered room and life.

Resource Box:

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The Hopewell Journey, 350 Years from Immigrant Religion to Hoosier Faith: Hopewell Presbyterian Church 1831-2006

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