2 Arrested in Valley-Based Bookmaking Operation : Crime: Police tell of $750,000 weekly take in the operation that took bets on baseball and football games.

Two men were arrested after police discovered a Valley-based bookmaking operation that took in an estimated $750,000 a week in bets on sporting events, authorities said.

Bruce S. Jones, 43, of Northridge and Kirtus S. Kolar, 25, of Burbank, were taken into custody Sunday on suspicion of bookmaking, said Los Angeles Police Lt. Dan Jones.

“What makes this operation unusual is the volume of money being wagered,” Lt. Jones said.

The arrests came following a monthlong investigation of the operation that took bets on baseball and professional and college football games, Lt. Jones said. Detectives seized records and $80,000 in cash during a search of Jones’ and Kolar’s residences, he said.

Lt. Jones said records seized indicated that one bettor wagered nearly $60,000 on various sporting events in three days. He said detectives estimate 122 people, mostly San Fernando Valley residents, were betting $750,000 each week.

Bettors allegedly placed bets with Kolar who would fax the information to Jones, police said. Authorities do not plan to seek charges against any of the bettors, Lt. Jones said.

Jones and Kolar posted $2,500 bail Sunday and are scheduled to be arraigned in Municipal Court on Nov. 12.

A week earlier, detectives arrested six men on suspicion of bookmaking after serving search warrants at two locations in Tarzana and Paramount, Lt. Jones said.

Although much of the evidence was shredded before authorities could gain entrance to one of the locations, the operation is estimated to have accepted $1 million in bets each week on hockey, baseball and football games, Lt. Jones said.