Police: Man Took Big Deposits For Fake East Village Apartment Listings

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Monday were searching for a suspect who put up fake ads for apartments for rent on Craigslist, and took deposits of more than $2,000 from 10 people who responded.

The suspect pretended to be a rental agent as he allegedly placed ads on Craigslist offering apartments for rent, police said. He advertised two apartments in the East Village that he did not really control, police said.

Between Jan. 16 and Feb. 1, the suspect advertised an apartment at 321 E. 6th St., between First and Second avenues, without permission or authority from the actual owners, police said. He took cash deposits of $2,200 as a downpayment from nine different women who answered and wanted to rent the apartment, police said.

On Jan. 30, the suspect took $2,100 from a tenth woman who answered his ad for an another apartment he didn't really have anything to do with, at 434 E. 9th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, police said.

The suspect is known to use the aliases David Horowitz and Michael Bryant, police said. Police have attached his photo.

Anyone with information was asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, log onto the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.

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