Three arrested for King City construction scam

When three repairmen told an elderly King City woman there were cracks in her driveway and the roof of her Ellis Street home needed repair, she wrote them a check for $4,500.00.

When police later arrived, officers determined the roof had already been replaced, and the men were unlicensed and didn’t have the proper tools for roof or driveway repair.

Police arrested Dennis Costello, 52, Dino Catillo, 40, and Johnny Sterio, 52, on felony charges of theft by false circumstances. They were booked into Monterey County jail.

King City police say the investigation will be referred to the Contractor’s State License Board for further investigation.

According to police, door-to-door scammers often target the elderly for construction fraud. In this case, police believe the intended victim suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

Police suggest that homeowners who are offered construction repair jobs in excess of $500 should ask to see a valid and current contractor’s license.