Watsonville Police Arrest Out-of-Town Scammers

Watsonville Police Arrest Out-of-Town Scammers
Photo: Stock Image
Originally Published By: Watsonville Police Department Facebook Page:

“Watsonville Police Officers have arrested a group of out-of-town scammers as they were attempting to swindle another community member.

We first told you about this group of fake jewelry scammers earlier this week after multiple victims came forward to report that the suspects offered them “expensive” gold rings, necklaces, or bracelets in exchange for gas money. Thanks to that social media post, we got a tip that the suspects had been spotted at the county fairgrounds and were making their way back into town Thursday afternoon.

Officers were patrolling the area of E. Lake Avenue when they spotted the suspects at a local laundromat, attempting to scam a community member. Thanks to the quick actions of our officers, the scammers were caught before they could drive off. Inside their car, officers found a large amount of fake jewelry and money.

Three adults and a teen were arrested and booked into county jail and juvenile hall. They all face charges of robbery and theft by false pretenses.

We believe these individuals may be tied to another group of people committing the same scam in the Watsonville area. Anyone with information is asked to call 831-471-1151.

𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗔Ñ𝗢𝗟

Oficiales de Watsonville arrestaron a un grupo de estafadores cuando intentaban estafar a otro miembro de la comunidad.

Les contamos sobre este grupo de estafadores de joyas falsas a principios de esta semana después de que varias víctimas reportaron que los sospechosos les ofrecieron anillos, collares o pulseras de oro “caros” a cambio de dinero para gasolina. Gracias a esa publicación en las redes sociales, recibimos una pista de que los sospechosos habían sido vistos cerca de los terrenos de la feria del condado y que iban de regreso a la ciudad el jueves por la tarde.

Oficiales patrullaban el área de E. Lake Avenue cuando vieron a los sospechosos en una lavandería local, intentando estafar a un miembro de la comunidad. Gracias a las acciones rápidas de nuestros oficiales, los estafadores fueron detenidos antes de que pudieran huir. Dentro de su auto, oficiales encontraron una gran cantidad de joyas falsas y dinero.

Tres adultos y un adolescente fueron arrestados y fichados en la cárcel del condado y el centro de detención juvenil. Todos enfrentan cargos por robo y hurto con pretextos falsos.

Creemos que estos sujetos podrían estar vinculados a otro grupo de personas que cometen la misma estafa en el área de Watsonville. Se pide que cualquier persona con información llame al 831-471-1151.”

Watsonville Police Arrest Out-of-Town Scammers was last modified: January 5th, 2023 by admin
Categories: Santa Cruz

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Patrice Spears

Patrice Spears is a California based writer/reporter covering crime and arrest news statewide, with a primary focus on the Central California area.