A Los Angeles luxury thief has struck again, stealing a 21-piece, $58,000 Mah Jong sofa by Roche Bobois from a downtown furniture store.
Authorities and victims believe the culprit is Zack Vincler, who has a criminal record and a bench warrant.
Vincler was previously arrested in 2023 on multiple counts of burglary and identity theft.
Prosecutors charged him with three counts of burglary, including a robbery in Beverly Hills the day he hit another store in the city.
He spent eight months in prison and was released on March 14, 2024.
In December 2024, a judge issued a bench warrant after he failed to appear for a scheduled pretrial hearing. His current whereabouts are unknown.
The latest theft occurred at Merit, an upscale furniture store in downtown Los Angeles.
Surveillance footage shows a white van entering the store while security cameras are off.
Store owner Paul Bearman told NBC News, “Each piece was 30 to 40 pounds. It was a huge effort to steal that sofa.”
Police are still investigating, no one has been arrested yet.
The break-in is part of a broader pattern targeting lobbyists and collectors with expensive mid-century furniture and luxury items.
Promoter Victoria Paris, who was in New York in June 2024, discovered that her home in LA had been broken into.
He told NBC News, “I was sick to my stomach.”
The thief took two Rabanne handbags, two Miu Miu bags, Hermes scarves, a Louis Vuitton duffel and jewelry trays, totaling at least $15,000.
Paris shared her story on TikTok, where her two million followers helped spread the word and connect victims.
“The pattern is definitely people with good taste,” Paris said. “I loved everyone who was breaking in. It was quite the vibe.”
Other victims include Emily Oberg of Sporty & Rich and Rachel Cleverley and Josh Warner of GOOD ART, who were able to link the attempted home burglary to the same suspect.
Prior to the theft of the Mah Jong sofas, Vincler allegedly committed credit card fraud against antique furniture retailers.
Interestingly, his Hinge profile reportedly portrayed him as a stylish, creative, funny businessman, with a love for high-end furniture and the ability to go with it.
Amanda Hallberg, owner of Modern Conscience in Seattle, recalled that rare Eames chairs were bought with stolen credit cards.
He created a webpage titled “Stolen by Zack Vincler” to warn consumers, which later helped other victims connect the dots.
Bearman once confronted Vincler directly when he acquired a $7,800 Togo sofa.
NBC News reported that Bearman jumped into the delivery van and held Vincler until police arrived. Despite the arrests and confrontations, the break-ins continued.
Eight days after the Mah Jong sofas were stolen, the Merit was broken into again, losing a $32,000 1920s Goyard sofa, a $4,800 Gucci desk set and a $3,500 Pierre Guariche chair.
Vincler previously worked at blue denim 3sixteen.
Police reports describe his modus operandi as targeting expensive mid-century modern furniture.
Although he has faced numerous arrests and charges, including commercial burglary and identity theft, his recent activities indicate a continuing threat.
Law enforcement and victims say social media has been instrumental in linking crimes and identifying patterns.
Paris’s TikTok posts and Hallberg’s warning page allowed many victims to link the incidents and identify the stolen items.
Victims and collectors worry that Vincler, still out on an active warrant, may escalate his criminal behavior.
Hallberg told NBC News, “The part of this case that worries me the most is that Zack will continue to escalate because that seems to be a pattern.”
