LAPD and FBI Fugitive Task Force officers arrested 41-year-old George Turegano and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed multiple counts of robbery against the suspect Friday.
Investigators released 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.
Last month the LAPD issued a public alert asking for help in their hunt for the impersonator.
Turegano allegedly would flash 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
Surveillance video tape, a composite sketch and still photos of the suspect are available at www.lapdtv.org.
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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," the news release stated.
