Crime & Safety
Man Arrested in Parking Scam
Hermosa Beach residents or visitors who suspect that they were duped at the 13th Street parking lot are urged to call police.
A Redondo Beach man posing as a parking attendant might have scammed drivers who parked at a Hermosa Beach parking lot on 13th Street, off Hermosa Avenue, on Tuesday and last week, police reported Wednesday.
Hermosa Beach police said in a statement that Alexei Maine Fleming, 21, admitted to posing as a parking official at the lot and collected parking fees in order to pay his rent.
Fleming also had scammed drivers Friday and Saturday, police said.
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Detectives told Patch that Fleming was arrested Tuesday after police were notified that he was collecting money for parking.
Officers found Fleming around 7 p.m. downtown near the corner of Pier and Hermosa avenues with a two-way radio, receipt book, and a handwritten sign, police said.
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According to police, the sign read, “This [parking meter] system is currently out of order. As an apology unlimited parking is only $3 for all day today. Thank you.”
Any drivers who paid Fleming are encouraged to contact Hermosa Beach detectives at 310-318-0341 or gpoelstra@hermosapolice.org.
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