Wedding Gift Theft Disrupts Glendale Marriage Celebration

During a wedding reception at the Renaissance Banquet in Glendale, California, a man was caught on camera stealing wedding gifts estimated to be worth around $60,000, along with his accomplice who was believed to be the getaway driver.

The suspect, Armean Shirehjini, appeared dressed sharply and was seen snatching a box filled with envelopes containing cash and checks from the dance floor before fleeing. Police suspect he randomly chose to crash the wedding, which significantly marred the day for the newlyweds, Nadeen and George Farahat.

Theft at wedding reception — The suspect was filmed grabbing wedding financial gifts before escaping the venue.

The bride recounted her shock, stating, “I ended up sitting on the dance floor, sobbing with my friends and cousins around me.” Investigators traced the pair to Shirehjini’s residence, where they recovered checks and a significant sum of cash, including 26 checks totaling about $10,000.

Stolen cash and checks — Police believe this robbery was a chance crime, with an estimated loot of about $60,000.

Alongside recovered money, authorities found drugs and firearms at both residences connected to the suspects. Surprisingly, neither man has a prior criminal record, leading police to believe the theft was opportunistic. Sgt. Jose Baraja noted, “Glendale hosts many wedding events weekly, so this might have been a random target.”

Timing of the robbery — The robbery took place shortly after midnight, just as the celebration was in full swing.

The couple has expressed their intention to move forward and focus on their new life together, despite the incident: “We had a beautiful ceremony and a joyful celebration with family and friends. We’re trying to prioritize the good times and our marriage.”