Kingston Police share details on recent home repair scam
Kingston Police are sharing details on a local home repair scam, after receiving a report of a group of people involved in the scam.
According to a release from police, two male suspects attended a complainant’s residence in Kingston and advised the complainant that their roof and chimney were in need of repairs. The suspects reportedly provided an estimate for a significant amount of money and convinced the complainant to provide a large down payment the following day.
The suspects then proceeded to rip the walls of the complainant’s house, at which point they advised that more work would be necessary or the walls would collapse, police noted. The complainant then advised they were backing out of the project and asked for their deposit back – which was never returned.
“The suspects purport to be with a company called ‘Fineline Roofing’ out of Halifax,” Kingston Police stated. “There is a Fineline Roofing and Masonry in Halifax, but they do not work outside of Nova Scotia, and do not make unsolicited calls.”
Police described the first suspect as a Caucasian male in his late 20s, short in height, with a medium build and average length dark blond hair. This suspect also had a beard with a moustache and was wearing a safety vest. He had an accent and claimed to be from Australia. The suspect went by the first name of “Dave”.
The second suspect was described by police as a Caucasian male in his late 30s, approximately 6’1” with a muscular build. The suspect had average length dark blond hair, no facial hair and used the name “Steven Joyce”. He claimed to be from Scotland.
According to the release, the suspects were driving a black Dodge Ram 4×4 pick-up truck.
Kingston Police are advising the public to exercise caution when speaking to contractors who show up at their homes unsolicited, and to always obtain reference checks before hiring anyone.
If you believe you have come into contact with these individuals contact Kingston Police at 613-549-4660 ext. “0”.