Martin Lupe Alejandro, 56, of Bellflower, Los Angeles County, California, United States also goes by the names Alberto and Aguilar. He is accused of identifying himself as a Los Angeles County police detective, which he is not.

Alejandro allegedly stole more than $100,000 from eight victims who are all Hispanic and Spanish speakers. The victims are either handymen or did construction work who placed ads in El Clasificado, the largest Spanish-language classified marketplace in the U.S.

In 2014, Alejandro was arrested and charged with impersonating an officer, grand theft and being a felon in a possession of a firearm. He received three years of probation for the grand theft and possession charges while the impersonation charge was dropped.

In 2019, Alejandro was arrested and charged with impersonation, grand theft and felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in jail for the grand theft and possession charges while the impersonation charged was dropped.

In June 2022, a contractor went to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s station in Lakewood, Los Angeles County to report a theft. The contractor had a Spanish ad listing in El Clasificado for handyman work and was contacted by Alejandro to perform work on his home in Bellflower.

When Alejandro and the contractor met, the former identified himself as a police detective who had access to confiscated and towed vehicles from the police department to sell. The Bellflower resident offered to sell the contractor two hybrid vehicles for a $7,000 deposit via Zelle and another $7,000 once the vehicles were delivered.

Later, Alejandro ignored all calls from the contractor, who never received the vehicles. On October 27, 2022, Alejandro was arrested at his home in Bellflower and booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s station in Lakewood for theft by false pretense.

On October 31, 2022, Alejandro was officially charged with grand theft, attempted grand theft and impersonating a peace officer. Anyone who might have been targeted by him or have information about others who were targeted is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.