Nine people were arrested for allegedly asking drivers to donate to a fake funeral for a baby, police said Thursday.
Officers noticed nine males, two adults and seven juveniles, holding signs and asking for money at the East Doran Street and North Glendale Avenue on Friday. The signs, which read "Funeral Donations for Alejandro Gomez," had a photo of a baby.
When police questioned one of the adults collecting money, he told them the group was raising money for the funeral of a girl, giving a different name than the one displayed on the sign.
The group was asking drivers to contribute to the fundraiser, falsely claiming it was to help pay for a baby's funeral, police said. Police seized over $1,000 from the group's donation buckets.
The group were arrested for theft under false pretenses.
"Our officers continue to proactively patrol the city, respond to calls for service, and serve the community," the department said in a news release.
