A 26-year-old woman accused of working a coast-to-coast scam operation is in custody after Pleasanton police say a rented car linked her to a pair of follow‑home robberies targeting customers leaving a San Leandro marijuana dispensary.
Investigators say the driver, identified as Latisha Lak, rented the vehicle under a fake name and used it to trail and rob two victims after they left the shop. Police have tied the arrest to what they describe as a broader, multi‑state fraud investigation and have referred to Lak as a “prolific fraudster.”
According to The Mercury News, Lak, who is listed as a Houston resident but was born in Stockton, allegedly rented a Hertz car using the alias “Jasmine Mam” and was identified through an Instagram account, @_chinesespoofer. Authorities say that same Hertz vehicle was used to follow two people home from the dispensary before they were robbed, and that Lak was ultimately arrested on outstanding fraud warrants issued in Texas and Arkansas.
How Investigators Say They Tracked The Car
Pleasanton officers and a surveillance team reportedly watched the rental transaction play out, then used a mix of camera footage and rental records to line up the car’s movements with the follow‑home robberies. Public arrest records show Lak was booked in Alameda County in mid‑December on alleged violations of forgery and identity‑theft laws, according to LocalCrimeNews. Investigators say the combination of surveillance, paperwork and social‑media clues pointed them to Lak as the suspected driver.
Where This Fits In East Bay Crime Patterns
The case lands in the middle of a tense year for Pleasanton and other East Bay cities, which have been hit by a series of robberies ranging from ATM and bank holdups to violent home invasions. In several of those incidents, law enforcement has warned that suspects appear to use follow‑home tactics, tailing victims from businesses to their houses…