A prostitution ring exploiting young women has been renting space using the short-term rental service Airbnb, Victoria police say.
Major crime investigators have been working with other police departments and have contacted Airbnb in an effort to identify the people involved, said Const. Matt Rutherford.
“It’s a very active investigation,” Rutherford said. “The investigators really want to get the information out to the public that people who are renting out their properties or suites or rooms can take a few simple steps to stop the ring.”
Rutherford said he expects information on arrests and charges, if they occur, will be available in the coming weeks.
The officer did not know exactly how old the women are but said no youths are involved.
Police are also investigating the trashing of an Airbnb suite where thousands of dollars worth of furniture was stolen.
The investigators have noted a pattern in their investigations, Rutherford said:
• The homeowner fails to meet the renter at check-in and fails to verify the guests’ identity through government identification or through Airbnb’s verified identification process.
• The Airbnb app was set to “Instant Booking,” which allows renters to book at any time. The rental is immediately available without a minimum stay or with a very short minimum stay. In some cases, the owner is using a third-party service to rent their space on their behalf.
Investigators want people who rent out their spaces to take a few simple steps to prevent and protect these young women from being exploited, Rutherford said.
Owners should meet all renters at check-in and require them to show government identification or to complete Airbnb’s verified identification process.
Hosts should consider setting a minimum stay and should not set the rental to be available immediately.
Owners using a third-party service to rent out space should talk to the service to ensure that they are checking identification and not putting people or the property at risk.
Hosts should take payment in advance and read reviews of renters to make sure they have a good rental history.
Anybody with information on these cases is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654. Information can be anonymously provided through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
This article originally appeared in the Times Colonist on March 1.
