Ex-real estate agent accused of holdup during open house, other robberies

64-year-old man is suspected of five recent robberies across SLO County

By Leslie Parrilla

A former Arizona real estate agent is suspected in five armed robberies in San Luis Obispo County, including one of a real estate agent and another at a real estate office.

David Albertsen, 64, is suspected of robbing the agent during an open house in Atascadero on April 27, two days after he allegedly walked into a real estate office in Arroyo Grande and robbed an employee at gunpoint, according to police.

Albertsen was licensed in Arizona, according to that state’s Department of Real Estate. He

obtained it in February 2007, but it is currently listed as inactive.

He also worked as a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department from 1971 to 1976, according to LAPD officials. It is unknown why he left the department.

Police describe Albertsen as a transient who returned to this area after living here in the 1970s and ’80s.

Albertsen was arrested after the Atascadero victim recognized him at a San Luis Obispo grocery store about eight days after the crime. She called police to report he was the person who had held her at gunpoint and stole her purse, San Luis Obispo police said. Officers arrested him outside the store.

Albertsen is linked to at least three additional armed robberies in San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach and Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo police said.

He is being held at County Jail in lieu of posting $102,000 bail on charges of felony armed robbery, first-degree burglary and carrying a concealed firearm in connection with the Atascadero robbery, according to court officials.

On Monday, Albertsen pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to return to court next week for a pretrial hearing, according to court documents.

No charges have been filed for the other robberies because prosecutors are waiting to review police reports.

Paso Robles investigators say Albertsen robbed a man sitting in a car at a gas station May 2, adding that he seemed rather apologetic during the crime.

“He said, ‘Sorry dude, but I’m kind of desperate,’ ” the victim told police. The man was robbed of about $45.

Albertsen is also suspected of holding up two Pismo Beach hotel guests April 25 after knocking on their door at the Best Western Shore Cliff Lodge and pointing a semiautomatic handgun at them. He allegedly threatened to shoot them if they did not give him cash and a credit card.

The credit card was later used at a gas station in Pismo Beach, police said.

A day later, an employee at the front office of the San Luis Creek Lodge was held at gunpoint while being robbed of money from a cash box, police said.

Leslie Parrilla can be reached at 783-7645.