Crime & Safety

New Business Owner Upset About Burglary + Theft at His Banning Studio

Ovier Alvarez said he recently moved from Chicago and opened his studio on South San Gorgonio Avenue, near city hall and the police department.

The owner of a new business in Banning said Monday he is upset about a burglary and theft of more than $12,500 worth of photographic equipment and other valuables.

Ovier Alvarez, 23, said he opened Ovier Photography at 66 S. San Gorgonio Ave., Suite G, in February. A neighboring business acquaintance told him of the break-in Monday morning.

"There was a hole in the back door, and they make a huge mess in my place and they stole some of my equipment," Alvarez said in a phone interview.

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Whoever broke in to the business took a Pentax camera, a telephoto lens, a bag of clothing, some jewelry and a hard drive with photos and other information on it, Alvarez said. He estimated the total value of the items taken at more than $12,500.

"I'm in Banning about two months now, just moved from Chicago," Alvarez said. "This is upsetting. I'm a new business just in the past month. I open the first on the street, and since then two other businesses have opened.

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"So this is upsetting to have a break-in. Not only that I'm just half a block from city hall and police station. What kind of security do we have in downtown? I'm new here and this is what I'm seeing."

At Ovier Photography, Alvarez said he does studio portraits and it his base for work including weddings, fashion, quinceañeras, video, graphic design, 3D animation and printing.

The last time Alvarez was at the business before he learned of the burglary was about 11 a.m. Saturday March 24, he said. He learned of the break-in Monday morning from a neighbor at Mecelania, a candies and party goods supplier.

Alvarez said he contact Banning police at 8:30 a.m. and they came to take a report.

Anyone with information about the reported burglary was urged to call Banning police atg (951) 922-3170.


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