Jewelry recovered by Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators after three people were arrested this week on suspicion of burglarizing homes in Orange County. (Courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.)

Valerie Siganoff, 36, was arrested with two associates on suspicion of burglarizing homes in Orange County during open houses. (Courtesy of Orange County Sheriff’s Department.)

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Nino Siganoff, 33, of Los Angeles, was arrested along with two associates on suspicion of burglarizing homes in Orange County during open houses. (Courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.)

Barbara Adams, 29, of Los Angeles, was arrested along with two associates on suspicion of burglarizing homes in Orange County during open houses. (Courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.)



Three Los Angeles residents were arrested this week on suspicion of attending multiple open houses in Orange County, chatting up the real estate agents – and walking out with thousands of dollars of jewelry, officials said Thursday.

The three suspects were arrested just before noon Tuesday, Dec. 19, at their Los Angeles home, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said.

At the home, authorities said, investigators found a trove of stolen items and a ledger listing upcoming open houses in Orange, San Diego and Los Angeles counties,

The trio began burglarizing open houses in October, the Sheriff’s Department said, by using a scheme: The male suspect, Nino Siganoff, 33, would distract the real estate agent showing the house while associates Valerie Siganoff, 36, and Barbara Adams, 29, scavenged the property for jewelry.

All three were booked on suspicion of felony burglary.

They are suspected of targeting multiple homes in Ladera Ranch, San Clemente and Anaheim, though the exact number is unknown, said Ray Grangoff, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department. Investigators have tied them to $20,000 of stolen items, authorities said.

A portion of those items have been returned to victims, the department said in its statement. But there may be more victims who investigators don’t know about. Anyone with information or questions can call 949-206-6100.