Roofer Gets Pinched In Suspected Home Repair Scam; Charged With Theft By Deception, Deceptive Business Practices For Allegedly Pocketing $300 From 78-Year Old Homeowner For Promised Services, Then Never Coming Back To Do The Work

In Neshannock Township, Pennsylvania, the New Castle News reports:

• A Hermitage man has been charged by Neshannock Township police in connection with a roofing scam.
  
  Police reported they have filed charges against Antonio D. Simpson, 31, of 939 Robertson Road, Hermitage, with theft by deception and deceptive business practices. Police said Simpson’s company is American Roofing & Roof Cleaning from the Hermitage area.
  
  A 78-year-old victim, who lives on Pinehurst Drive, reported giving Simpson $300 for supplies Oct. 29. Simpson was supposed to return and do chimney work, but never came back.

Source: Senior cheated out of $300 in roofing scam.

Editor's Note: While it's not uncommon for police to look at a fact situation like this one and summarily dismiss the homeowners's complaint, treating it as a "civil matter," I suspect that it's more difficult for the cops to "write off" a complaint with that approach when the person being screwed over is a 78-year old victim. It seems that criminal charges of "theft by deception" and "deceptive business practices" (as well as other similarly-related charges) may often, if not usually, apply in cases that police might otherwise label as a "civil matter."