SOUTH BRUNSWICK – The South Brunswick Police Department is urging residents to be aware of home improvement scammers after they charged a Great Britain man for allegedly defrauding four homeowners of more than $70,000.
The man, 20, was charged with four counts of third-degree theft by deception on Aug. 28, according to police through a Nixle alert on Sept. 2.
Police had received reports that a contractor had allegedly taken money from several area residents to perform various contracting work around their homes.
While Officers Justin Samuels and Dale Hubner were speaking with the homeowners, residents pointed out the man in a pickup truck passing by. The officers got back into their patrol car and were able to make a motor vehicle stop, police said.
The man provided police a passport from Great Britain and said he was staying in South Plainfield for a few weeks. He told officers he was working as a paving and landscaping contractor under the business, Alfa Paving and Landscaping from New York, according to police.
The officers along with Detective Monica Posteraro determined that the man had allegedly offered to do various jobs and did minimal work to receive the first payment before never returning to complete the work, according to police.
The man was interviewed, processed, and lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center in North Brunswick.
Any individuals who may have been victimized or have additional information are asked to contact Posteraro at 732-329-4000 ext. 7478.