Watsonville Fish House scammed by fake fire inspector, police say
The Fish House Bar and Grill in Watsonville is dealing with another headache after a scam by a man posing as a fire inspector, according to Watsonville Police and Fire.
The restaurant is the same location where two people, including a 4-year-old girl, were shot and killed during a gang incident last October. On Thursday, a Fish House manager said the business didn’t want to discuss the scam.
Watsonville Fire said a man posing as an independent contractor from “ET Fire Protection” entered the restaurant Tuesday, wanting to inspect their fire extinguishers.
The owner of the restaurant allowed the man to inspect the business.
“They had pulled off the service tags of the fire extinguishers and at some point took the fire extinguishers out of the business. Then at some point requested money from the business for their services,” said Watsonville Fire Chief Pablo Barreto.
During the process he allegedly stole two fire extinguishers. The man then left the restaurant in a newer black BMW X3 with an unknown license plate, police said. Officers said the man is described as Hispanic, with brown hair, hazel eyes and bucked teeth.
Police and fire want to warn businesses to be very careful of someone impersonating a fire inspector. Crews said any inspector from Watsonville Police or Fire will show up in full uniform, not regular clothes.
If anyone thinks they’ve been a victim or has any information on this case, they are being asked to call the Watsonville Police Department Crime Tip line at 728-3544 or the Watsonville Police Department Investigation Bureau at 768-3352.
