Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department is advising the public of a Grand Theft suspect arrested by Rialto Police Department. The suspect may have victimized other people in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. The suspect is identified as Dean Allender, male, White, 61 years of age. However, because it is likely the suspect used other names to defraud his victims, a photograph of the suspect is being released for identification.

The suspect contacted Hispanic families who were going through foreclosures of their properties and represented himself as a foreclosure service representative. He offered to stop the foreclosure process or to effect a forced sale of the property for fees ranging from $800.00 to $1,000.00. The services, however, were never performed. The victims soon learned the suspect could not be contacted as the address listed was a mail drop in Hollywood.

Fifteen cases were filed against Mr. Allender in 1997 and felony warrants were issued with a bail of $2,000,000.00.

Dean Allender was recently arrested on the felony warrants in Rialto, California. It is apparent that the suspect used a similar method to defraud his victims in that city.

To date, the known victims who have come forward are from the areas of Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, and Maywood. However, investigators believe there may be many other victims in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.

Anyone with information regarding individuals who may have been defrauded by Dean Allender is urged to call LAPD Detective D. C. Webb at 213-485-4175, or Rialto Police Department Detective James Gibbons at 909-820-2521.

This press release was prepared by Police Information Officer Eduardo Funes, Media Relations Section, 213-485 3586.