Nassau Contractor Arrested for Scamming Homeowner: DA

A Bellmore man was arrested Tuesday for a “take the money and run” scam, in which he allegedly took $7,000 from a homeowner for home improvement work that he did not perform, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.

Joseph Policaro, 41, of Bellmore, was arrested by NCDA investigators and charged with third degree grand larceny (a D felony) and operating a home improvement business without a license (an A misdemeanor). If convicted, he faces a maximum of 2-1/3 to 7 years in prison. He is due back in court on Sept. 1 and was released on his own recognizance.

On July 25, 2015 the homeowner entered into a contract with Policaro to perform home improvement work on the exterior of the home, and paid the defendant $7,000. When the work did not begin as scheduled, the defendant allegedly made excuses claiming that he was “running late" or he was “delayed.” The homeowner filed a complaint with the Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs, which then referred the case to the DA’s office for investigation in March 2016.

The investigation revealed that Policaro allegedly spent the homeowner’s funds on expenses unrelated to the home, including personal expenses at Wal-Mart, Speedway, Stop & Shop, gas stations and convenience stores. He also allegedly paid vendors for expenses unrelated to the homeowner.

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