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Fairfax smash-and-grab spree leaves shattered storefronts, one suspect in custody

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Published  May 5, 2026 8:58am PDT
Fairfax
FOX 11
Multiple businesses hit by burglars in Fairfax District

Multiple businesses hit by burglars in Fairfax District

The LAPD is looking into a number of break-ins at small businesses along Melrose.

The Brief

    • The LAPD arrested one person following a series of early morning smash-and-grab burglaries targeting three separate businesses along a three-block stretch of Melrose Avenue.
    • The spree began just after 4 a.m. Tuesday and affected Milk Bar, NailBay, and LALA’s Argentine Grill, with suspects using a stolen cash register to smash through glass storefronts.
    • Security footage captured two masked men kicking in windows and fleeing with electronics and cash registers, while neighboring business owners report that such incidents have become an annual struggle for the district.

LOS ANGELES - Multiple businesses were targeted in a series of morning break-ins along Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District overnight. One of the suspects was taken into custody after Los Angeles Police Department officers set up a perimeter in the area.

What we know:

Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said at least three businesses were hit along a stretch of Melrose Avenue early Tuesday morning.

The locations include:

  • Milk Bar, located at 7150 Melrose Avenue near North La Brea Avenue;
  • NailBay, located at 7201 Melrose Avenue near North Formosa Avenue;
  • LALA’S Argentine Grill, located at 7229 Melrose Avenue near North Alta Vista Boulevard.

The LAPD said officers were dispatched to Milk Bar just after 4 a.m. after a business alarm was triggered. The glass storefront was smashed in, but it's unclear what, if anything, was taken. 

Surveillance video from another business shows two masked men kicking in the glass storefront of NailBay after appearing to run across the street with a cash register in hand.

In total, three businesses within roughly three blocks were affected. 

What they're saying:

"Somebody got inside and they took the cash register, the iMac, and maybe more inside," said NailBay owner Ny Truong.

"We have footage of someone coming up and throwing a register drawer right into our door, but it didn’t break," said Bert Song, who owns a coffee shop next door to the nail salon. 

"We've only been here a little over a year. Last year, they broke in, and when we spoke to our neighbors, they said this happens every year," Song said.

What we don't know:

Police have not released descriptions of the suspects or confirmed how many individuals were involved in total.

Investigators have also not confirmed whether the incidents are connected beyond occurring within the same area and timeframe.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the LAPD at 213-486-5910.

The Source: This story was written with information from the Los Angeles Police Department. 

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