News
Released: May 1, 2025 - Thursday, 05:03 PM
Detectives made a traffic stop on a vehicle with three occupants on Highway 101 near Highway 166. The three occupants included 37-year-old Alexandru Florea, a 17-year-old male, and an 11-year-old male. The three suspects had been spotted earlier at a home in Arroyo Grande attempting to buy a car. A search of their vehicle found a nearly empty bottle of engine oil as well as a gallon jug that was partially full of engine oil.
The three are thought to have been involved with the "Oil in the Engine" scam. That's where a scammer pretends to be a buyer and contacts a seller on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. They arrange to inspect, and test drive the vehicle. Often, the scammer will bring along 2-3 others posing as friends or mechanics. While one person distracts the seller, another secretly pours oil on the engine. During the test drive, the engine starts smoking, making it seem like the car has a serious problem. The scammer then offers a very low price, hoping the seller, now worried about expensive repairs, will agree to sell the car for far less than its actual value.
Sheriff's Detectives have located over twenty reported incidents of the “Oil in the Engine” scam within San Luis Obispo County between 11/21/2024 and 3/22/2025, with an estimated loss of approximately $60,000.
Florea was arrested on several charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, tampering with a vehicle and obtaining money by false pretenses.
The 17-year-old was transported to Juvenile Hall. And the 11-year-old was turned over to Child Welfare Services.
The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the public for their help on this case. When we originally issued a press release on this scam on 3-19-2025, we asked if any others who may have been victims, to contact us. Detectives received more than 20 phone calls from the public with information which helped in this investigation.
Auto Scam Arrests
Contact: Tony CipollaPhone: (805) 781-4547Date and time of incident: 4-3-2025Place of Occurrence: Highway 101 at Highway 166Victim Information: N/ASuspect Information: Alexandru Florea, 37, La Puente, CA Male, 17 Male, 11On 4-3-2025, Sheriff's Office Detectives arrested two men who are suspected of being a part of an auto scam ring run by Romanian nationals who were working throughout California including San Luis Obispo County.Detectives made a traffic stop on a vehicle with three occupants on Highway 101 near Highway 166. The three occupants included 37-year-old Alexandru Florea, a 17-year-old male, and an 11-year-old male. The three suspects had been spotted earlier at a home in Arroyo Grande attempting to buy a car. A search of their vehicle found a nearly empty bottle of engine oil as well as a gallon jug that was partially full of engine oil.
The three are thought to have been involved with the "Oil in the Engine" scam. That's where a scammer pretends to be a buyer and contacts a seller on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. They arrange to inspect, and test drive the vehicle. Often, the scammer will bring along 2-3 others posing as friends or mechanics. While one person distracts the seller, another secretly pours oil on the engine. During the test drive, the engine starts smoking, making it seem like the car has a serious problem. The scammer then offers a very low price, hoping the seller, now worried about expensive repairs, will agree to sell the car for far less than its actual value.
Sheriff's Detectives have located over twenty reported incidents of the “Oil in the Engine” scam within San Luis Obispo County between 11/21/2024 and 3/22/2025, with an estimated loss of approximately $60,000.
Florea was arrested on several charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, tampering with a vehicle and obtaining money by false pretenses.
The 17-year-old was transported to Juvenile Hall. And the 11-year-old was turned over to Child Welfare Services.
The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the public for their help on this case. When we originally issued a press release on this scam on 3-19-2025, we asked if any others who may have been victims, to contact us. Detectives received more than 20 phone calls from the public with information which helped in this investigation.
