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Charges: Duo Steals Nearly $40K Worth Of High-End Eyeglass Frames

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police said two people were caught with nearly $40,000 worth of stolen high-end eyeglass frames earlier this month, after allegedly stealing from multiple Twin Cities businesses.

Beverly Sanchez Jara, 38, with an unknown address, and 27-year-old Hector Astudillo, of an unknown address, were each charged with one count of theft (more than $5,000), and one count of aiding and abetting receiving stolen property (more than $5,000).

According to the complaint, the Lens Crafters at the Northtown Mall in Blaine called police and said a Hispanic man and woman were suspiciously looking at eyeglass frames without having set up an appointment on Oct. 4. After the duo left, about $10,000 worth of frames had been stolen, and video surveillance showed the two placing expensive frames in their pocket, replacing them with cheaper frames in the display.

Police then received reports from Vision Works stores in Blaine, Roseville, Minnetonka, Crystal and St. Louis Park that a Hispanic couple had stolen frames from their locations, too, on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4.

During a traffic stop on Oct. 4, a police stopped a car with two people matching the description of the suspects. Police looked inside the car Astudillo and Jara were in and saw, in plain sight, a backpack that was partially open and containing numerous pairs of eyeglass frames with the price tags still attached.

Officers located 160 pairs valued at about $37,045.

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