Con-man Targets Chivas

A thief targeted three sports teams visiting Los Angeles recently - including CD Guadalajara when they were in town taking on their American spinoff at the Rose Bowl:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A man with slicked-back hair who stole $26,000 in cash and jewelry from an Israeli basketball team at the Staples Center also scammed his way into two downtown hotels to steal thousands of dollars from Chivas players and a salsa music troupe, police said Wednesday.

Detectives linked the man to the three thefts after comparing surveillance footage from the Staples Center on Oct. 20 to video and descriptions from two hotels that had reported similar thefts in August and September, said Lt. Paul Vernon, head of detectives for downtown Los Angeles.

"It was a good catch. It was the slicked-back hair style that really stood out," Vernon
said.

In the first theft, a man convinced a hotel clerk that he was part of a 30-member salsa group booked to play at the Greek Theater and needed pass cards to rooms. He gave the clerk a CD in return for the help, police said. The musicians later discovered more than $9,000 was missing from several rooms.

In the second theft, a man wearing a Chivas jersey greeted and hugged members of the Chivas soccer team as they left their hotel on a bus. He then walked up to the desk and convinced a clerk to give him room keys.

Players later reported more than $10,000 missing from their rooms.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD Commercial Crimes Division at (213) 485-2524. Tipsters may also call the 24-hour, toll free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247), or text "crimes" by cell phone. Begin all messages with "LAPD." Tipsters may remain anonymous.