Studio City boutique burglarized for second time in three months
A family-owned boutique is distraught after their business was burglarized for the second time in three months.
Magpi, located on Ventura Boulevard, was struck by a pair of burglars overnight, with security footage showing what appeared to be a couple smashing the store's front window and making off with a number of items.
Stocked with a variety of clothes, shoes, sculptures and other amenities, Magpi is often stocked with one-of-a-king items, many of which are created by local artists.
The video shows the couple, given away by the frantic shouting of, "Let's go, babe!" as they hurriedly hurled items into a garbage bags at around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.
While they didn't take any cash, the burglars were able to steal bags of clothing and home goods, as well as trays of unique jewelry, which owners estimate to be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Lisette Bovaird, the owner of Magpi, said that they were just feeling like they were beginning to recover from the effects of the coronavirus and the multiple lockdowns.
"We were making our way back and it makes me sad, this would've been a great Christmas for us," Bovaird said. "Not the week that we anticipated."
While they attempt to pick up the pieces and recover as much as possible before the holiday weekend, they've ordered metal gates to back the glass windows on the storefront, in hopes of making sure there are no repeat incidents.
Danny Marsh, who owns a neighboring business, as well as several other locations in the area, said that he's not shocked by the burglary at all, especially after one of his shops was hit three times in recent years.
"I catch people living behind my store all the time and doing all kinds of stuff behind the store," he said.
Both Bovaird and Marsh love the Studio City Business Association's provided security, which comes in the form of the Ventura Bouelvard Segue Security Patrol.
"Engaged, involved and helpful," Marsh said. "And then at six p.m. or seven p.m., when it gets dark outside — everything changes."
That's when the patrol ends for the night, and when most of the problems begin to occur in the area.
Bovaird is hopeful that on top of changes in that policy, police can find the suspects who hit her beloved business.
"I don't know what they can do, I don't know what the consequence will be if they catch these people."
