Painting crew steals cell phone, laptop computer

The woman said she asked the contractor to see if any of his crew had “accidentally” picked up the items and, if so, to bring them back. She said the contractor told her that none of his men had taken it.

Some time later, the woman got a phone bill and noted that several calls had been placed. She told police she called the contractor and said she was going to call those numbers to find out who had placed the calls. He asked her for the numbers, which she gave him. The next day, she said, he came to her house with her cell phone, admitting that one of his crew had taken it.

When the woman asked about the computer, she said the contractor admitted that the same person had it, and he would get it back.

On Sunday, June 28, the contractor came by her house and removed a number of paint brushes. The woman called him and ordered him to bring them back. She said he did, and she asked about the laptop, at which time the contractor allegedly told her she would not get it back until she paid him $300.

The woman refused, saying she did not owe the money.

The victim told police the man called her sometime later and said if she did not pay him, he would claim he got hurt and sue her.

The officer contacted the contractor, who first claimed that the man who stole the items worked for the victim, not for him, the report said. Later, he admitted that the thief worked for him and asked the officer if he could “just pay for” the computer.

The officer turned the matter over to investigators.

For all of the arrests and incidents reported by the Commerce Police Department during the past week, see the July 8 edition of The Commerce News.