Victoria police issue warning after Airbnb properties were used for prostitution ring

Victoria police are warning Airbnb property owners after two investigations were started in short-term rental spaces recently.

In the first ongoing investigation, a suspect rented an Airbnb suite and allegedly trashed it before stealing thousands of dollars’ in furnishings from the property.

In another ongoing case, police discovered a prostitution ring, which “exploits young women” in a short-term Airbnb rental space. VicPD says that their Major Crime investigators have been working with other agencies to identify the people involved.

In both cases, police found areas where the owners could have secured their property more thoroughly.

See also: VicPD continue search for man who caused thousands of dollars in damage to a rental property

When renting out short-term VicPD recommends:

• Meeting with all renters at check-in.
• Verifying renters through government ID or other verification systems in place through Airbnb.
• Avoid setting your rental to be available immediately.
• Consider setting a minimum stay at your property.
• If you are using a third-party service to rent your space on your behalf, ensure that they are verifying renters and “not opening you and your property up to risk”.
• Do not rent without taking payment in advance or via systems in place like those available through Airbnb or similar vendors
• Read renters’ reviews and ensure they have a positive history of renting from other hosts.

Anyone with information on either case is asked to contact Victoria Police at 250-995-7654 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.