Fence Contractor Charged With Defrauding Oak Forest Homeowner

OAK FOREST, IL -- A Brookfield business owner is facing felony charges after she allegedly pocketed an Oak Forest home owner’s deposit for work she did not complete, prosecutors said Tuesday in court.

Deborah Van Buren, 48, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a charge of aggravated home repair fraud. Court records also indicate a similar charge in Oak Lawn.

The prosecutor said on July 19, 2015, the Oak Forest homeowner entered into a contractual agreement with Van Buren to build a 5-foot-tall fence around his property at an estimated price of $6,800. Van Buren required a 60-percent deposit. The homeowner made out a personal check for $5,000, which he claims that he hand-delivered to Van Buren on July 29, 2015.

Van Buren’s company showed up on Sept. 25, 2015 to begin the installation. The prosecutor said that holes dug on the homeowner’s property failed a city inspection.

When the work had still not been corrected, a letter was sent in January to Van Buren asking her to finish the work or return the homeowner’s deposit. A second certified letter was sent last month, informing Van Buren that she had ten days to make good on the contract, according to court records.

Van Buren allegedly did not respond to the letter and was arrested on Nov. 1, the prosecutor said.

Judge Felice set bail at $75,000. Van Buren’s next hearing is Nov. 28 in Bridgeview.

A business called Illinois Iron and Fence, Inc. is registered to Buren’s listed address in the 3900 block of South Circle Drive, in Brookfield.