Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Police warn of scam artist who pushes hydrant work

All victims get is a fresh coat of paint because the hydrants aren't faulty and don't need servicing. Some businesses have paid more than $1,000 for the work.

CLEARWATER - Crooks will use any ruse to scam people. They'll pose as plumbers, painters and electricians. They'll ask to check your water or your air-conditioning ducts, then rob you blind.

But Clearwater police say they're seeing a scam unlike any they've seen before.

A man is calling local apartment and business complexes pretending to be an official with the city fire department or water department. In some cases, the man says he's with the Police Department.

The man tells apartment complex managers that their fire hydrants needs to be serviced. The man then recommends a company that fixes fire hydrants.

What the manager doesn't know is that the man is not from the city. And the company he is recommending is his own.

In fact, public fire hydrants in Clearwater are serviced by the city, so there would be no reason to hire a private company to fix them, said Joel Gray, fire marshal for Clearwater.

"You would never guess someone would use fire hydrants to commit fraud," Gray said.

Clearwater police Detective John Diebel is investigating the man, but declined to release either his name or his company's name while the investigation is in progress.

Diebel said he hopes to develop enough evidence to bring fraud or theft charges.

But while the investigation is active, Diebel wants to prevent other businesses from being victimized.

Diebel said two businesses in Clearwater and a handful of others in Dunedin and Largo have complained to police about the man. The detective thinks there are other victims out there, and he encourages them to file complaints with their police department.

Diebel said some businesses have paid the man more than $1,000 to work on fire hydrants.

Gray said fire officials have examined those fire hydrants and found they were not faulty. In fact, no work had been done to the hydrants outside of a fresh coat of paint.

Gray said anyone working on fire hydrants needs a specialized license. This man, he said, doesn't even have a basic plumber's license.