Man Accused of Theft in Scam Case

Theft charges were filed Wednesday against a man accused of driving around North Hollywood in a limousine and conning people out of money that he said would go to his child who had suffered an epileptic seizure and was awaiting care in a nearby emergency room.

Luis Ovies, 31, of North Hollywood is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail, charged with two counts of theft. He has a prior conviction for the same offense, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Schmidt. Each count is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Ovies’ prior conviction was in 1991.

“I guess he acted pretty good,” Detective Phil Wright of the Police Department’s North Hollywood Division said of Ovies’ apparent ability to talk people into giving him cash.

North Hollywood police received more than 50 complaints of similar scams in the past three months, according to the district attorney’s office, but had no suspect until 11:30 p.m. Monday, when Ovies allegedly approached a house on Hortense Street and asked for money. Ovies allegedly told the resident his child had been hospitalized after a seizure and needed medical care.

The disbelieving resident sent Ovies away, police said. But the resident told authorities he watched as the man allegedly conned a next-door neighbor out of $40.

The first resident, suspicious because the “father” was riding in a limousine, took the license plate number and called police. Officers spotted the vehicle about two hours later at a convenience store and took Ovies into custody there.

The driver of the car, a friend of Ovies, was not charged.

Wright cautioned the public that police believe there are others pulling the same alleged con job.