SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — On April 3, Sheriff’s Office Detectives arrested two men suspected of being part of an auto scam ring operated by Romanian nationals throughout California, including San Luis Obispo County. The arrests occurred after a traffic stop on Highway 101 near Highway 166, where three individuals were found in a vehicle, including 37-year-old Alexandru Florea, a 17-year-old male, and an 11-year-old male. The suspects had previously been spotted attempting to buy a car in Arroyo Grande.

A search of their vehicle revealed a nearly empty bottle of engine oil and a gallon jug of oil, linking them to the “Oil in the Engine” scam. In this scam, the fraudsters pose as car buyers, distract the seller during a test drive, and secretly pour oil onto the engine to make it smoke. This causes the seller to believe the car has engine problems, and the scammer then offers a much lower price.

Over 20 incidents of this scam were reported in San Luis Obispo County between November 2024 and March 2025, with an estimated loss of $60,000. Florea was arrested on several charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime and obtaining money by false pretenses. The 17-year-old was transported to Juvenile Hall, while the 11-year-old was handed over to Child Welfare Services.

The Sheriff’s Office thanked the public for their assistance in the investigation, with more than 20 calls helping to identify the suspects.