Police warn of new scams
Jackson Bell
A pair of cons reported in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica has Burbank
police warning residents to be aware of fraudulent fire extinguisher
inspectors.
The first reported incident of the “fire extinguisher scam”
occurred Oct. 7 in Santa Monica when a merchant said a suspect posing
as a repairman entered the store, claimed that the fire extinguishers
needed routine maintenance, collected the payment in advance and left
without performing the service, Burbank Police Sgt. William Berry
said.
A similar incident was reported in late October in Beverly Hills
when a restaurant employee paid a con artist $600 for fire
extinguisher services before he left without doing the job.
Berry said police are unsure if the same man perpetrated the
crimes, and no one has been arrested.
“A lot of times, I think this happens with greater frequency than
reported,” Berry said. “Some people don’t report it because they’re
embarrassed.”
The best way to prevent the scam is to ask for credentials and pay
after the service is completed.
“In order to be legal, [a repairman] needs to have proper
licensing,” Berry said. “So it’s always a good idea to check and make
sure they have proper registration from the state department of
regulations.”
About 10 scams a year are reported to Burbank Police, he added.
Anyone who has been the victim of a scam is encouraged to call the
police at 238-3000.