Man and teen arrested in car purchase scam, Sacramento sheriff says
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is seeking additional information about a man and his teenage son who are accused of scamming a 65-year-old man who was privately selling his car this week.
The 41-year-old suspect and his 16-year-old son met with a Sacramento County resident at his home on Thursday to purchase his car, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The resident reported that while he was distracted talking to the son, the suspect sprayed oil on the vehicle’s engine bay, the Sheriff’s Office said. The man then negotiated the price down from $10,000 to $6,000, citing significant mechanical issues, and the resident agreed to sell at the lower price.
The resident alleged when he paid the two, he noticed the son discretely hid some of the money and claimed that the man had only paid them $3,800. In turn, the resident canceled the transaction and attempted to take photos, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The 16-year-old allegedly pushed the older man while attempting to leave. The Sacramento County resident was not injured and was able to keep his car, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Detectives arrested both the adult suspect and his son shortly after the incident, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The 41-year-old man was transported to the Sacramento County Main Jail and was released Friday after posting bond on a $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. His son was taken to Sacramento County Juvenile Hall.
Detectives believe the man and his son “may be responsible for other similar crimes throughout California and are seeking the public’s help in locating any additional victims,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote on social media.
Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, said no additional information was available about the situation as of Saturday morning.
Anyone with additional information can contact the sheriff’s office 916-874-5115 or the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Additionally, tips can be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling 916-874-8477.
