Police are investigating a recent theft and a series of burglaries at Vallejo businesses, in which suspects are stealing high-end sunglasses and frames.
Bayside Family Optometry, located at 121 Plaza Drive, has been targeted by thieves four times, including two times in December.
Police said the most recent theft occurred on Feb. 25. In that incident, two suspects entered the business and after casing the store for about 20 minutes, the pair grabbed displays of Ralph Lauren and Gucci glasses and fled the store.
"It seemed like it happened in slow motion," Optician Angelica Sanchez said. "I was thinking I can't believe this is happening."
The suspects ran off with about $30,000 worth of shades. Optometrist Wayne Ogata and his staff chased after the thieves, forcing them to drop the displays as they got away.
"By the time he hit his car he saw me and dropped the case that he had," Ogata said.
Police said all the shades were recovered. The suspects fled in a white 4-door Ford that was waiting in the parking lot. Images of them were captured on surveillance camera.
Local
A 17-year-old boy was arrested earlier this week in connection to the theft. Police are still looking for the other suspect, who is described as a woman.
In January, Mendoza Family Eye Care at 2623 Springs Road was burglarized and their windows were smashed.
The suspects were seen leaving in a black Chrysler with custom wheels and paper license plates.
The suspects in that burglary were caught on surveillance video and appear to match the description of the suspects involved in the February theft.
Similar crimes have been taking place across the Bay Area. A man stole $10,000 worth of shades from a Santa Clara store in October. In San Francisco, a shop was also hit four months ago.
"In my opinion there is probably a ring out there," Ogata said of the rash of thefts. "So people are dropping it off to this ring."
Police said a lack of serial numbers on shades add to the difficulty of retrieving the stolen items.
"Unlike cell phones or iPods, those things all have serial numbers on them you can identify should we recover them," Vallejo Police Lt. Jeff Bassett said.
Anyone with information about the theft and burglaries is asked to contact Vallejo Police Detective Scott Yates at 800-488-9383.
