The owner of Mobile Tech of Ohio in Heath, OH, was recently charged with one count of theft for reportedly taking more than $1,000 from a customer for transmission and power steering pump repairs that were never completed.
Below is the article as it appeared on The Newark Advocate website.
Heath auto repair owner accused of stealing from customer
By Jessie Balmert
Published: Feb 16, 2011
NEWARK — The owner of a Heath car service business was indicted last week after reportedly stealing from a customer by not performing repairs.
Joseph A. Profitt, 43, last known address 37 Custer Road, Heath, was charged with one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony.
Between April 1 and Nov. 1, a woman gave Profitt more than $1,000 to repair the transmission and install a power steering pump on her vehicle at Mobile Tech of Ohio, 351D S. 30th St., Heath Detective Mark Phillips said.
The repairs never were completed. Police report that Profitt bought a new power steering pump but returned it the next day. When interviewed, Profitt said he found a less expensive one elsewhere, Phillips said.
Profitt also told Phillips an employee was supposed to repair the transmission, the detective said.
Profitt is suspected of making money for services not performed, Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Reamer said. The type of theft — by deception — is "pretty unusual," he said.
To read the entire article on The Newark Advocate website, visit http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20110216/NEWS01/102160311/1002/news01/Heath-auto-repair-owner-accused-stealing-from-customer.
