'Barbie Bandit' Nabbed by Manhattan Beach Police

UPDATED:

Manhattan Beach Police captured a 22-year-old woman Monday morning in connection with a forgery at a local Chase bank branch on December 29.

Juliya Rogova was arrested around 6am Monday as she walked out of San Bernardino County West Valley Detention Center, where she had been locked up for unrelated offenses.

"She was a little disappointed," said Detective Mike Rosenberger, "having just spent a month in jail, and here she is getting arrested right after being released."

The nearly six-foot tall, blond suspect—nicknamed the "Barbie Bandit" in media reports—confessed to police soon after her arrest. She told detectives that in December she had used a fake Ohio driver's license to withdraw $700 from an account that was not hers at the Chase branch at 700 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

After successfully withdrawing the money, Rogova allegedly then went back into the bank and tried to make a second withdrawl. Rosenberger said it was then that the teller became suspicious.

"She got nervous and bailed," he said of Rogova, "and she left behind her ID."

The next day, the Chase account holder whose money had been fraudulently withdrawn—a resident of Pomona—called police. The Pomona Police Department then called Manhattan Beach Police to report that a forgery had occurred at the Manhattan Beach branch of the bank.

Using the fake ID left behind at the bank, Rosenberger said he showed Rogova's picture around to local law enforcement, though without any leads. With the case going nowhere, Rosenberger said he decided to give Rogova's picture to local media last week. Within hours of the release of her photo, Manhattan Beach Police received several tips that enabled them to identify their suspect.

Rogova, who is from Inglewood, was arrested outside a convenience store bathroom in January 2009 on a charge of prostitution, according to published reports. She has been arrested at least 12 times for prostitution, according to Rosenberger, though this was her first forgery arrest.

"Her criminals skills tend to lie in the more intimate arts," he said.

Rogova posted a $20,000 bond and was released until her arraignment in the coming weeks, said Rosenberger.

"It's nice when we can work with the press like this," he said of releasing her picture to local media. "Quite honestly, we had no idea who she was, and within hours of her picture coming out, we had some really good tips."

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story indicated the bank forgery had occurred last week. The forgery actually occurred on December 29, but Manhattan Beach Police first publicly released the suspect's photo last week.