Vehicle repair scam leads to Lynn arrests

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 willingly hand over their vehicle keys to a person who approaches them in retail parking lots with an offer to cheaply fix dents and scratches. When the owner attempts to retrieve the 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 tells the victim that police have prohibited the repairs from being done in a public place and that the vehicle keys are needed in order to complete the job elsewhere.”In one case, the owner gave his key to the suspect who then took the vehicle to an unknown location,” said Sharpe, explaining that the Lynn scam artist telephoned the vehicle owner to say repairs in addition to those initially agreed upon had been made and the owner would have to pay more money before the vehicle is returned.The owner of the 2004 Toyota Tercel had agreed to pay Bimbo $140 cash to fix some rust and dents. When he tried to get the car back, he was told it needed brakes and had been taken apart, according to court documents.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.Court documents further indicated that on Oct. 18, Lynn police pulled over the white U-Haul truck in the parking lot of the CVS pharmacy on Boston Street. Bimbo and his two companions admitted they were in search of auto body repair customers. During the traffic stop, police learned that the white GMC Cyclone 2008 truck had been reported stolen by the U-Haul recovery unit in New Jersey where it was rented in June and never returned. Bimbo told police the truck had been rented by his aunt.A background check indicated that one of the men, Moso Tene, 23, 3 Seafoam Ave., Winthrop, was wanted on three warrants. Tene was arrested at the scene and charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle. Based on the condition of the truck’s cargo area, it appeared the men were living in it, police 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 offer should contact Lynn police. The city imposes licensing requirements on peddlers and other salespersons. The licenses must be carried and presented to the police upon request, according to Sharpe.