Police Say Locals Were Conned by ‘Celebrity’
Redlands police are searching for a man they allege spent the weekend pretending to be a guitarist for the band REO Speedwagon to get cash, free meals and a free hotel stay.
Police said Wednesday that Walter Louellen Stearns, posing as the guitarist, began paperwork Saturday to buy two Redlands homes, prompting local real estate agents to buy him dinner and get him a room at a local hotel.
Later that evening at Mu restaurant, he convinced two men that he would buy them Dodge Challengers valued at more than $100,000 as tax writeoffs, police said. After going with them to a dealership to select the cars and sign purchase documents, police said, Stearns took $600 from the men -- ostensibly for fees -- and vanished.
Police say they are looking for Stearns in the Rancho Mirage area.
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