A man who allegedly impersonated a Manhattan Beach police officer and solicited donations was in custody Thursday, police said.
Peter Yanaginuma, 58, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon at the Manhattan Village Mall, 3200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., and was booked on suspicion of drug crimes and a probation violation, police said.
He was scheduled to appear on court on May 25 in Torrance.
Police went to the mall about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, “in regard to two suspicious subjects in the parking lot,” Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Tim Zins said.
“The reporting party described one of the subjects as an Asian male who was representing himself as a Manhattan Beach police officer and soliciting for donations,” Zins said.
“When the officers arrived, they contacted two subjects in the parking lot,” Zins said. “One of the subjects, later identified as Peter Yanaginuma, admitted to representing himself as a Los Angeles police officer and asking for donations. An investigation revealed Yanaginuma was not a police officer for either the Manhattan Beach Police Department or the Los Angeles Police Department.”
Yanaginuma and the other person were arrested. The second person, whose name was not released, was arrested on a drug-related crime.
Anyone who gave a donation to Yanaginuma believing he was a police officer was urged to call Manhattan Beach police at (310) 545-4566, or go to the police station at 420 15th St. to file a report.
— City News Service