Fake Crime Scene Added To Storied Exhibit At LA County Fair Raises Brows

POMONA (CBSLA) — A fictitious crime scene at one of the most storied displays at the LA County Fair raised brows last week, prompting it's removal.

Video captured the Garden Railroad exhibit, which showed a replica of downtown Pomona complete with what looks like police arresting two men who appear handcuffed and face down on the ground.

"I thought it was funny the first time I saw it so I recorded it," said Daniel Betancourt, the co-owner of O'Donovan's Restaurant & Pub in Pomona. "The more I thought about it, the more I thought, 'Hey, this is not good for business. It is not a good depiction of what downtown Pomona actually is.' "

Betancourt's video was posted on Facebook and the fair's CEO heard about it and personally removed the fake crime scene himself.

A spokesperson for the fair says the depiction was "offensive" and "not reflective of Pomona."

But not everyone agrees.

"I thought it was interesting. It represents what we see every day," said one resident, while another said: "I believe that if it is representing the city and the society that we live in today, that there shouldn't be anything wrong with it."

The Garden Railroad has been a fixture at the fair for years. It's assembled by volunteers.

"We have a million people that come to the LA County Fair every year. And it's the only tourist attraction that we have right now so to do that to Pomona, not good," said Betancourt.

It remains unclear who in the group assembled the fictitious crime scene.