A man in DeKalb County, GA, would disable vehicles and then wait for the owners of the vehicles to return. He would then pose as a “Good Samaritan” and offer to take a look at the vehicles that wouldn’t start. After making the needed repairs, he would ask for money from the drivers. The man has been charged with three counts of theft by deception.
Below is the article as it appeared on the WSB-TV Channel 2 website.
Man Accused Of Being Fake Mechanic
April 6, 2011
DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A man was arrested after police said he duped people into paying him for unnecessary mechanical work on their cars.
DeKalb County police said he disabled cars when drivers weren’t looking and then offered to fix them.
"I parked actually on an incline over here, so, when my car wouldn’t start, I thought maybe it was something with the way I parked," said Jason Morris.
Morris thought he was stranded outside the Kroger supermarket on Buford Highway when he was suddenly approached by suspect Orlando Martinez. Morris said he popped the hood, thinking he was a Good Samaritan.
“This elderly man walked by and offered to help. He said he said he understood what all was going on,” Morris told Channel 2’s Erica Byfield.
Morris said the man swapped out some fuses and got the car started again. Police said the so-called Good Samaritan was actually the problem. Looking back, Morris said there were signs of foul play.
To read the entire article on the WSB-TV Channel 2 website, visit http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27449884/detail.html.
