An Irvine, California, man was arrested Friday on suspicion of using six fraudulent disabled parking placards to store his luxury car collection at an apartment complex, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Authorities received a tip that an individual was using disabled placards to park his vehicles in disabled spots within the apartment community. An investigation by traffic detectives confirmed that six cars displayed bogus placards. Police seized the fake placards and took the suspect into custody.
Investigators reportedly found that the suspect owned or had access to five Mercedes-Benz vehicles and three BMWs, evidenced by seized key fobs. Images released by police show the fake placards displayed on a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and a BMW.
The Irvine Police Department stated on Instagram that there is "zero excuse for placard abuse, and those taking advantage of the system can expect strict enforcement."
Many observers expressed surprise that someone with apparent financial means to own such a high-end fleet would resort to such a scheme. The suspect could face misdemeanor charges for misuse of disabled placards, which can carry fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
Past enforcement efforts by the DMV have indicated a prevalence of placard fraud. In 2018, investigators found that approximately 8% of drivers using disabled placards did so fraudulently. Citation rates for placard abuse were reported to be higher in cities like Pomona and Stockton, exceeding 20% in some instances.