Police are searching for two Calgarians accused of targeting seniors in multiple contractor scams.
Police launched their investigation in October 2015, after a senior suffering from Alzheimers was allegedly scammed by a man who offered to perform roof maintenance on his home. According to police, the senior paid over $8,500 but no work was ever completed.
During their investigation, police found three other elderly victims who they believed were approached by the same man, and sometimes other suspects working with him.
It’s alleged the suspects offered to clean the victims’ eavestroughs and do other odd jobs around their homes.
“While working on the homes, the man claimed that he had noticed several defects on the victims’ homes that needed to be fixed. Over the course of several months, the victims paid the suspects a combined total of over $37,000 for work that appears to never have been done,” police explained in a Thursday news release.
Brydon Foote’s 81-year-old father with early Alzheimers was one of the victims.
Foote called police when he found out the contractors drove his dad to different bank agencies to cash cheques.
“He thought there was work being done and I sent some guys up there. I’m in the industry and nothing had been done… but my father – a proud man – didn’t want to say anything because he figured he could handle it himself,” Foote said.
Calgary Police Detective Phil Hunt said, “generally how they approach this is the victim will write a cheque and the cheque is cashed very, very quickly.”
According to investigations, none of the suspects were licensed to carry out work in Calgary.
READ MORE: Police warn of phony contractors who target seniors
Police have since charged three people, two of whom are wanted on warrants.
Kenneth Gliddon, 55, of Calgary, was arrested and charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and three counts of fraud under $5,000. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 8.
Police are still seeking:
- Geralyn Plaviak, 58, of Calgary, charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and two counts of fraud under $5,000.
- Michael Arsenault, 55, of Calgary, charged with one count of fraud over $5,000.
Anyone with information on the location of Plaviak or Arsenault is asked to call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or contact Crime Stoppers.
– With files from Tony Tighe
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