By Keith Heffintrayer | North Penn Now
Credit: North Wales Borough Police Department
An arrest warrant has been issued for a contractor from Philadelphia who police allege used the Nextdoor app to defraud residents across the greater Philadelphia region.
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Ronald Williams, 34, is wanted on charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, according to an arrest warrant filed by the North Wales Borough (Montgomery County) Police Department.
An investigation into Williams uncovered seven victims across Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia counties, all whom alleged Williams had committed fraud via incomplete, shoddy or incompetent work. More are likely out there, according to police.
North Wales Police Chief Michael Eves said that Williams contacted a 66-year-old female at her home on Dec. 2., 2020, after the two had interacted on the Nextdoor app. The criminal complaint states that Williams presented himself to the victim as a licensed general contractor, however his insurance information was later proven to be fraudulent.
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Williams is the operator of Constructionize LLC.
The victim said Williams evaluated water damage that was caused by a broken dishwasher, and was given $200 cash as a deposit to remedy the issue from a cash jar that the victim kept hidden in her kitchen, according to the complaint. The following day, Williams returned and stated the job would be completed in stages, which caused the victim to sense something wasn’t right, police said.
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The victim then cancelled the agreement and asked for the deposit to be returned, which Williams promised to do, police said. However, Williams never returned to the home to refund the deposit, and he ignored the victim’s attempts to contact him, according to the complaint.
Credit: North Wales Borough Police Department
The victim would later tell police she noticed that her entire cash jar — which contained an additional $300 — was missing, and she believed Williams had taken it while she had briefly left the room during their encounter, police said.
Williams is currently using his grandmother’s address in Northeast Philadelphia as a mail drop, but they now believe he is residing somewhere in New Jersey. Eves said it is imperative that anyone who may have fallen victim to William’s alleged scheme report the incidents to their local police departments. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has also been contacted by Eves, however it is unknown if they will take up the investigation at this time.
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Williams is known to use aliases in “Rob Wilson” and “Ron Willis,” and he is known to drive a gray Dodge pickup truck with a “Thin Blue Line” decal and possibly a Fraternal Order of Police emblem on the license plate.
Anyone with information regarding Williams’ whereabouts, or who may be a victim, is asked to contact Chief Michael Eves at 215-699-9279 or via email at meves@northwalesborough.org.
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Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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