Police seeking man who allegedly scammed elderly woman

Police seeking man who allegedly scammed elderly woman

(Clearfield Police Department)


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CLEARFIELD — Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a man who scammed an elderly woman when he overcharged her to fix her driveway, officials said.

Chuck Baker, 26, allegedly knocked on 85-year-old Minnie Jensen’s door near 300 West and 600 North about two weeks ago and offered to patch the cracks in her driveway for a low cost.

Jensen first hesitated, but Baker convinced her to let him repair the driveway for $400, Jensen said.

After Baker finished the work, he came to the door and informed her he forgot to charge tax and he used more materials than he planned so he needed $650, which Jensen then gave him, she said.

Jensen said she was very upset when she saw the work he’d done on the driveway. Baker ended up coming back to the house the next week, and Jensen told him she wasn’t happy with his work, she said.

“He said, ‘me either, that’s why I’m back. I’ll get some more material, some better material, just give me $500 and I will get better material and I’ll make it right,’ ” Jensen said.

Baker told Jensen her check would be refunded within a week, something she thought didn’t make sense because he could have brought it with him if he hadn’t cashed it yet, Jensen said.

Jensen gave him the $500 but then realized she shouldn’t have given it to him, so she called the bank and asked if they wouldn’t process the check. She then went down to her bank, where she learned he had already cashed both of the checks, she said.

Jensen then went to the Clearfield police and filled out a report. Police officers informed her it was a fraud, and they were able to get video from the bank of Baker cashing the checks, Jensen said.

Jensen said she was too trusting and doesn’t want others to get scammed.

"I know I made a mistake, I shouldn't have. I thought I was too smart for that, but he was very convincing and I let him talk me into it," she said.

Baker is wanted out of Salt Lake City with a $25,000 warrant in connection with exploitation of a vulnerable adult in December in addition to new charges, according to Sgt. Kyle Jeffries with the Clearfield City Police Department.

He may be driving a blue or green GMC Sierra truck with Texas license plate number DVR1683, Jeffries said.

Recently, Jensen’s son noticed a man driving a white truck was fixing her neighbor’s driveway. After speaking with the neighbor, they learned the worker had also tried to ask for more money once he’d finished her driveway, but she didn’t give it to him, Jensen said.

If you have seen Baker in your neighborhood or have also been a victim of this scam, call your local police department, Jeffries said.

Contributing: Brianna Bodily

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