CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
January 25, 2009 | Andrew Blankstein
Los Angeles police have busted a shell-game ring that victimized dozens of downtown shoppers during the holidays, LAPD officials said. At least 10 people were arrested Jan. 7 and charged with felony conspiracy to commit gaming in connection with the ring that operated on Los Angeles Street between 4th and 6th streets. The suspects are all Mexican nationals who reside in the city, police said. The shell game is one of the oldest cons in the book.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
October 29, 2006 | Jessica Garrison, Times Staff Writer
The first sign that Raj Tunaru's domestic violence case would not be typical was when he claimed diplomatic immunity during his arrest last month at a residence in mid-Wilshire. His immunity claim turned out to be false, and he was packed off to Los Angeles County Jail. Then the Romanian media started calling. Tunaru, it turned out, was a lesser Romanian politician, a former member of parliament and an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2004.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
September 23, 2004 | Lance Pugmire, Times Staff Writer
Ontario police investigating a poolside stabbing at a Motel 6 made a grisly discovery Tuesday night when they found the body of an 18-year-old woman stuffed into a suitcase inside the suspect's motel room. Mark Edward Thomas, 23, of Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, robbery and violation of parole, and had to be subdued with a stun gun after officers cornered him in his motel room bathroom, police said.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
December 25, 2001 | LIZ F. KAY, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Nine people have been arrested in a Westside operation that allegedly took sports bets and told gamblers they were using a legal offshore system, police said. "You'd pick up the phone and you're under the understanding that you're calling somewhere" such as Jamaica or the Bahamas that offers licensed bookmaking, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Mark Arneson of Pacific Division's vice unit.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
November 30, 2001 | ANICA E. BUTLER, TIMES STAFF WRITER
A landlord and her son were arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder in connection with an arson fire that killed a 72-year-old double amputee who was one their tenants. Clemetha Marie Dillard, 76, and her son Anthony, 51, were taken into custody early Thursday and will be charged today, authorities said. The victim has not been identified. Anthony Dillard had taken care of the victim--whose legs had been amputated--for the past decade, authorities said.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
September 25, 2001 | From Times Staff Reports
A 29-year-old Mission Hills man was arrested Monday on suspicion of drunk driving after police said he caused a chain-reaction accident that injured 12 people. Manuel Mendoza is accused of driving his pickup truck through a red light at Woodman Avenue and Vanowen Street about 6 p.m. Sunday, striking a church van and two other vehicles, said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. John Pasquariello. The injured, including two children ages 8 and 10, were taken by six ambulances to five hospitals.