MID-WILSHIRE : Elderly Motorists Alerted About Auto Collision Scam

Police are alerting elderly male motorists to be on guard against a man who causes minor traffic collisions and then takes credit cards or cash from his victims’ wallets.

The man, who has been operating in the Mid-Wilshire area, has used the scam on elderly white men 11 times since Christmas, said Los Angeles Police Detective Ron Robbins. The suspect may also be responsible for at least eight other auto accident scams last spring, Robbins said.

“The suspect initiates a minor traffic collision, usually a touch of the bumpers in a shopping center parking lot or at an intersection,” Robbins said. The suspect then motions the other driver to the side of the road to exchange information, he said.

The man asks the victim to place his wallet on the top of the car or the hood and pretends to write down the license and insurance information. When the victim goes to check the damage to the car or is writing down the suspect’s own license number, the con man takes a credit card or cash from the victim’s wallet, Robbins said.

Often the men do not realize they have been robbed until they discover credit cards missing or see bogus charges on their bills.

“The suspect is polite, well-mannered and has a clean appearance,” Robbins said. “He has no outstanding features, but we identify him because he uses the same (methods) each time.”

The man is described as African American, 35 to 40 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, and approximately 150 to 170 pounds.