Los Angeles, Ca
Culver City Police Department warning residents of uptick in online rental scams
Investigators with the Culver City Police Department are looking into a string of online rental scams that occurred in the city for over a month.
According to a CCPD press release issued Sunday morning, detectives were alerted of multiple reports of rental scams between July 4 and Aug. 27 of this year, many of which were “initiated on social media.”
“In each instance, a victim responded to a Facebook ad for an apartment rental,” police stated. “They agreed to meet the ‘seller’ at a location in Culver City, where they would exchange cash and a rental agreement.”
After this interaction, the victim would attempt to enter the rental unit, only to find that the keys did not open the door. When the victim reached out to the suspect, they would no longer respond to messages, investigators said.
Authorities say suspects use multiple methods to dupe individuals into agreeing to a fake rental, including phantom listings of locations that don’t exist or are unavailable, fake virtual tours that may be pre-recorded and advertisement manipulation replicating genuine listings.
To avoid becoming a victim of an online rental scam, CCPD recommended the following steps:
- Verify contact details: Cross-check contact information in the listing with trustworthy sources
- Avoid personal servers: Do not engage with anyone requesting the use of a personal server for communication
- In-person inquiries: Ask questions about the property in person, rather than via email or online if possible
- Be cautions with payment requests: A reputable landlord won’t ask for payment before meeting you face-to-face or showing you the property in person
- Utilize professionals: If renting a property prior to seeing it, consider working with a licensed real estate broker or a trusted property management company
- Research Listings: Repeat advertisements – the same listing under a different name – could indicate a potential scam
Police released descriptions of three suspects, two women and a man. No description for one of the women was immediately available; however, one of the suspects was described as a 20- to 30-year-old Hispanic woman with a heavy build and red hair who was seen wearing a pink jacket with lettering and gray shorts.
The third suspect was described by police as a Black man between the ages of 20 and 30.
Anyone with information surrounding the online rental scams is asked to contact Culver City Police Department Public Information Officer Jennifer Atenza by calling 310-253-6120 or emailing jennifer.atenza@culvercity.org
Individuals can also call the CCPD Watch Commander at 310-253-6202.
Los Angeles, Ca
Fort Irwin soldier allegedly murdered comrade
A soldier from Fontana has been charged with murder in the death of another soldier at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County.
Spc. George Cornejo, 26, is accused of killing Spc. Andrew P. Smith on Oct. 28, military officials said in a press release.
Smith, 27, was found injured in his residence that day and later succumbed to his wounds, officials said when announcing his death. The Rye, New York, native had been stationed at Fort Irwin for more than two years.
The manner and possible motivation for the alleged murder were not released.
Cornejo has been in pre-trial custody since Oct. 29, and he’s expected to be transferred to the Naval Consolidated Brig in Miramar.
A preliminary hearing will be held to determine if Cornejo will be tried by court-martial.
Los Angeles, Ca
Vehicle, 2 occupants plunge into crowded Southern California harbor
Two people were taken to the hospital after a vehicle they were inside plunged into the harbor Sunday night in Marina Del Rey, officials confirmed to KTLA.
Details are limited and It’s unclear exactly how the incident occurred, but authorities with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to 4675 Admiralty Way just after 6 p.m. on reports of the vehicle in the water.
L.A. County Fire Department Public Information Officer Marco Rodriguez said the two occupants were able to get themselves out of the vehicle after it went into the water.
Both were examined by medical personnel with the fire department and taken to a nearby hospital in unknown condition.
Rodriguez said that two L.A. County Lifeguard divers were deployed to ensure there were no other occupants trapped in the vehicle.
A witness, Johnny Hamcheck, told KTLA that a third person, a woman, exited the vehicle before it went into water, though officials did not confirm that detail.
Footage of the recovery effort showed crews attaching large yellow floating devices to the vehicle as it was anchored to a crane and eventually pulled out of the water and loaded onto a tow truck.
The vehicle showed heavy front-end damage, presumably from crashing through the steel railing and into the water.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing and no further details were provided.
Los Angeles, Ca
Armed robbers hit couple in broad daylight on high-end Beverly Hills street
Two people were hospitalized after a broad daylight armed robbery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills Sunday, police confirmed to KTLA.
Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to the 400 block of North Rodeo Drive, at the intersection of Brighton Way just before 1:30 p.m. on reports of the incident.
According to a BHPD news release, a man and a woman were waiting outside a boutique when they were approached by four suspects, one of whom pulled out a gun during a physical altercation between the victims and the suspects.
“During the altercation, the suspects forcibly took two designer handbags – one from each victim – containing cash and cellphones,” police said. “One cellphone was recovered nearby. The suspects also attempted to steal the male victim’s jewelry but were unsuccessful.”
In video of a portion of the incident obtained by KTLA, four suspects all wearing dark clothing and hooded sweatshirts can be seen running from the scene. At least one of the suspects has an item, possibly one of the handbags, in his hands.
The crew was last seen running up Rodeo Drive and ducking into an alleyway.
It is unclear if anyone was injured, but the male victim was seen on the ground as the victim and another person knelt over him, one of which was yelling for help.
Medical personnel with the Beverly Hills Fire Department responded to the incident, but authorities said the man and woman sought their own medical attention at a local hospital.
Their conditions were not immediately available.
An investigation into the robbery remains ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact BHPD at 310-285-2125. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.com.
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