‘Bump-and-Rob’ Suspect Admits String of Crimes
A 30-year-old Wilshire District man pleaded guilty Tuesday to 24 counts of robbery and grand theft for a series of “bump-and-rob” crimes against women driving expensive cars, including actress Morgan Fairchild.
Michael Lee Burton faces a maximum of 12 years in state prison when he is sentenced May 5 in Van Nuys Superior Court.
In the thefts, many of which occurred on Ventura Boulevard, the assailant would deliberately drive into the rear of a luxury car occupied by a lone woman. When the woman halted to inspect the damage, he would get into the car, sometimes pushing the woman to the ground first, and drive away.
Burton admitted stealing 23 cars between Feb. 9 and March 9 and was charged with 12 counts of grand theft auto, 11 counts of robbery and 1 count of attempted grand theft auto.
The victims included Fairchild, whose Jaguar was stolen in North Hollywood.
Burton usually would use a stolen car in the next theft, abandoning it when he drove off in the new car, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Michelle R. Rosenblatt. Purses and other valuables left inside the car were stolen from many of the victims, Rosenblatt said.
Burton, who was convicted three times previously for crimes ranging from auto theft to forgery, began the spree just three days after his release from state prison Feb. 6, the prosecutor said.
Burton was arrested in March after police noticed him driving a Mercedes-Benz reported stolen the previous day from a Pacific Palisades woman.
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