Woman buys car off Craigslist, owner steals it back, police say

An 18-year-old woman who shelled out more than $10,000 to buy a used car was victimized twice in the same day when the title turned out to be bogus and the car was stolen back by the couple who sold it to her, authorities said.

Police said the chain of events started in Burbank over the weekend when the woman agreed to pay $10,600 for the used 2009 Honda Civic and then drove it to her Palm Springs home.

By the next morning, the car had vanished and the title she was left holding turned out to be a fake, said Burbank Police Lt. John Dilbert.

On Sunday, Burbank police found the Craigslist advertisement and contacted Jose Madrigal, 30, and Kayla Pouncy, 18, while pretending to be interested in buying the car, Dilbert said.

Officers arranged a meeting that afternoon near a neighborhood park, where they arrested Pouncy on suspicion of grand theft, Dilbert said.

Madrigal, however, tried to flee in another car, brushing against a police officer as he drove off, authorities said.

The driver only made it about a block, however, before the car broke down, Dilbert said.

After a brief foot pursuit, Madrigal was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon and evading police. He is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail while Pouncy is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Anyone else who may have been a victim in dealings with Madrigal or Pouncy is urged to call Burbank police at (818) 238-3000.

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