LAPD Search for Police Impersonator NR10382ah

July 28, 2010

Update

On August 10, 2010, LAPD and FBI Fugitive Task Force officers
arrested 41-year-old George Turegano. The Los Angeles County
District Attorney’s Office has filed multiple counts of robbery
against the suspect. Investigators are releasing the photo of
Turegano and the vehicle which was used during the robbery. Anyone
victimized by Turegano is urged to contact LAPD Robbery Homicide
Detectives at (213) 486-6840.

Los Angeles: Detectives from LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide
Division are asking for the public’s help in tracking down a man
who flashed a badge pretending to be a plainclothes cop and then
robbed his victims. One of the robberies was caught on tape.

Investigators believe the police impersonator is responsible for
five robberies in the Los Angeles area. The suspect had a phony
badge hanging from his neck. When he approached his victims, he
identified himself as a police officer then performed a pat-down
search on them. In some incidents, the suspect would handcuff his
victims prior to searching them and their vehicle. During the
searches, the suspect removed the victim’s money, and then escaped
in a 2000-2006 gray or dark blue Chevy Suburban with a luggage rack
on top.

The suspect is described as Hispanic in his early 40s with black
hair, brown eyes and tattoos of female faces on both arms. He
stood between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet tall and weighed between
200 to 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a T-shirt
and a two-tone baseball cap.

The robberies occurred at the following locations:

-June 14, 5:30 p.m., 1400 block of S. Bonnie Brae Street

-June 19, 1:25 p.m., 2900 block of Barranca Street

-June 30, 12:20 p.m., 1600 block of 8th Street

-July 14, 1:30 p.m., 800 block of S. Bonnie Brae Street

-July 18, 12:30 p.m., 1400 block of S. Bonnie Brae Street

Anyone with information regarding these robberies is urged to
contact the Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6840. During
non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to
1-877-LAPD-24-7. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call
Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also
contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637
(C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages
should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to
LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.