A man accused of falsely filing documents that listed him as the owner of a home near Beverly Hills was arrested Thursday morning after charges were filed against him.
Ronald Eugene Griffin was being held in lieu of $36,000 bail, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
Around 12:20 p.m. on March 18, officers responded to a report of a trespasser at a home near the 1200 block of Benedict Canyon Drive and upon arrival were met by employees at the residence who knew the actual property owner, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
“They reported that … Griffin was trying to gain entry by compromising the locks of the residence,” according to a police statement. “Suspect Griffin claimed to be the new owner of the residence. The employees immediately notified the police of the suspect’s unauthorized access to the property.”
Detectives with the LAPD’s Commercial Crimes Division were called and they interviewed the property owner, who did not know Griffin and had not given authorization to anyone to have the title changed, police said.
“Griffin had changed the title of the residence without the victim’s knowledge and attempted to forcibly gain entry…,” according to a police statement.
The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and on Monday charges of filing a false document and petty theft were filed against Griffin, who was arrested Thursday without incident, police said.