Handyman Pinched For Allegedly Targeting Trusting 82-Year Old Woman In $490K Home Repair Ripoff

In Palm City, Florida, WTSP-TV Channel 10 reports:

• Police have arrested a 51-year-old Indiantown man on charges of ripping off an 82-year-old woman to the tune of $490,000, and using his own family to drop the woman's defenses.

• Detectives with the Martin County Sheriff's Office arrested Harry B. Patterson [...] after an investigation revealed that between December 2007 and June 2009, Patterson was hired to perform work at the victim's home in Palm City, but ended up doing very little or none of the work, much of it having to be redone because it was deemed hazardous. Police say Patterson also billed the victim several times for the same invoices.

• The victim told police that Patterson repeatedly came to her home suggesting work that her home needed done, and since she wasn't knowledgeable and he seemed to know what he was talking about, she trusted him to do the work and that it was needed. The victim said Patterson regularly brought over his wife and daughter to visit her and that she enjoyed the company and it made her feel more trusting of Patterson.

• Investigators determined in one project to repair a seawall, replace insulation and remove mold, Patterson charged the victim more than $107,000 for $10 worth of cement patch and hour's work.

• Patterson was charged with grand theft from a victim over the age of 65, which is a first-degree felony. If convicted, Patterson faces a possible 30 years in prison. Patterson was booked at the Martin County Jail and released on Thursday after posting $150,000 bond.

Source: POLICE: Contractor charged homeowner $107,000 for $10 seawall patch job.

Go here for the details of the allegations against Patterson in the police Complaint Affidavit.