GALESBURG, Illinois — The Galesburg Police Department is warning drivers of a car repair rip-off this is turning into extra famous. The rip-off is charging for upkeep while vehicles do not even have any damage.
The scammer will flag down drivers and inform them something is inaccurate with their tire. He indicates the driving force pull over and permit him to take a glance, claiming to be a mechanic.
“He sounded really pleasant at the beginning,” scam sufferer Cory Marshall stated. “Then it kind of escalated. I felt like I become sort of being threatened.”
The guy gets out of his automobile and tells drivers something is loose on the tire and that riding any similarly is risky.
“He just advised me that there have been multiple bolts back in the back of the tire missing,” Marshall said. “He just passed off to have the bolts with him.”
“He told me my tires are very wobbly,” scam sufferer Madison Shultz stated. “He said he did not assume it changed into secure to power any also.”
In Marshall’s encounter with the man, he asked for $375 for “solving” the tire.
“My heart sank,” Marshall stated. ” I concept I turned into being robbed for everything I had.”
Scared for his safety, Marshall gave the person all the cash he had on him and drove away.
“I didn’t recognise if he had a gun inside the vehicle,” Marshall stated.
Marshall took his car to Karmark Tire & Automotive in Galesburg to have it looked at. Marshall says nothing was wrong with the bolts, but he did have the tire changed.
Madison Shultz changed into also flagged down by way of the scammer. She says she feels centred due to the fact her small infant changed into within the car, and due to the event, her tire has a hubcap.
“I don’t know lots approximately automobiles,” Shultz stated. “He desired to get within the automobile with my infant to expose me the way it was wobbling. I instructed him no.”
Shultz stated she asked for a business card from the man and he did not have one.
“I nearly felt like he was pressuring me because my baby turned into in the automobile,” she said. “He stated it’d be $500 at a store to restoration my tire. However, he might simplest rate me $2 hundred.”
Shultz did no longer permit the man “repair” her tire, however nevertheless desires to warn others.
“I worry how it may have become out if he caught on that I knew he turned into a fraud,” she stated.
Galesburg Police say they have got obtained many reviews similar to these.
“I might watch out for everyone flagging you down telling you that you have damage and offering to restore it for cash,” Galesburg Police Captain Rod Riggs stated. “I could say thank you to them, and I may have it looked at by using my mechanic.”
Riggs stated that in police research they determined the alleged scammer has Michigan plates. They do not realise if the scammer will stay within the Galesburg region for lengthy and advocate different cities be careful.