LYNN – Don’t let Sam Bimbo repair your car.
That warning comes from Lynn police who have sought a criminal complaint against the 43-year-old Hollingsworth Street resident for larceny of a motor vehicle.According to Police Lt. William Sharpe, Bimbo allegedly is involved in an automobile repair scam in which victims hand over their vehicle keys to a person who approaches them in parking lots with an offer to cheaply fix dents and scratches. When the owner attempts to retrieve the supposedly repaired vehicle, a demand for more money is made.”A group of individuals, typically driving a U-Haul or similar type rental vehicle, will troll parking lots and approach vehicle owners with an offer to cheaply fix minor dents and scrapes,” said Sharpe, noting that the ruse begins when the vehicle owner agrees to pay a small amount of money for the work.The scam artist usually tells the victim that police have prohibited the repair work from being done in a public place. As a result, the vehicle keys are needed so that the repairs can be completed elsewhere.”In one case, the owner gave his key to the suspect who then took the vehicle to an unknown location,” said Sharpe, adding that the Lynn scam artist telephoned the vehicle owner to say repairs other than those initially discussed had been made and the owner would have to pay more money before the vehicle is returned.Sharpe said that case prompted an investigation that led the Police Department to seek the criminal complaint against Bimbo. “The vehicle owner in the case was able to retrieve the vehicle,” he said.Lynn police are strongly discouraging residents from agreeing to unsolicited offers, including the selling of products, and the servicing or repairing of homes and vehicles, especially in areas such as public parking lots and through telephone cold-calling. Anyone approached with a seemingly fraudulent offers should contact Lynn police. The city imposes licensing requirements on peddlers and other sales persons. The licenses must be carried and presented to the police upon request, according to Sharpe.For more on the story, check back here at www.itemlive.com or purchase tomorrow’s newspaper.
