By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com
Auburn police have arrested two people who are accused of extorting money from a local restaurant owner.
Larry Warren Bosworth, 39, and Rebecca Lynn Bosworth, 36, both of Auburn, were booked into Placer County Jail this afternoon on suspicion of conspiracy to commit extortion and extortion.
Police said the Bosworths contacted the owner of a local Chinese restaurant claiming that the take-out food they bought from the restaurant two weeks ago was contaminated with a cockroach. They allegedly told the restaurant owner that they would not file a report with the Department of Health and Human Services or contact the news media if the victim agreed to pay them a large sum of cash.
The victim agreed to meet the Bosworths at a local coffee shop to discuss their claims. During the meeting, the Bosworths again requested money in exchange for not filing a complaint, according to a Police Department news release.
The victim told them that she needed to discuss the matter with her husband and would need time to decide whether to pay the money. The Bosworths gave the victim a short time to make a decision. The victim then contacted the Auburn Police Department about the legality of the Bosworths' demands.
Working with a police detective, the victim called the Bosworths and agreed to meet their demands. She was given a short time to meet them with a check, and the Bosworths agreed not to file their complaint or notify the news media in return for the money. They also said they would provide the victim with all the "paperwork" they had in regard to their complaint.
Detectives conducted a surveillance of the coffee shop where the victim was to meet the Bosworths and watched as the victim completed the transaction with the Bosworths and left the scene. The Bosworths then were arrested without incident.
Police ask anyone who may know of similar activities involving the Bosworths to call Detective Adam Cline at (530) 823-4237, ext. 238.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.
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