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Local contractor accused of scamming clients out of thousands of dollars

SHALER, Pa. — A local contractor is accused of scamming clients out of thousands of dollars.

“This guy just looked like a con man. He really did,” homeowner Fred Sauers said.

Sauers, of Shaler, has managed to keep his sense of humor even though he's lost hundreds of dollars in life savings to the man police call a crooked contractor -- Gerald Conklin of Millvale

Saures said he hired Conklin to do some repair work on three backyard sheds. The sheds were pretty weathered and needed some repair work. Conklin was hired to install outside lights and replace the roofs on the two smaller sheds.

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According to investigators, Sauers and his wife paid Conklin "3 checks totaling $1500."

Days and then weeks passed and Sauers said the work wasn't done. Conklin told him "weather or his health was bad,” according to police.

"I was ready for him to start talking about the Titanic and the Hindenburg. I mean he had more excuses,” Sauers said.

Channel 11 looked into Conklin’s background and what we found was eye opening.

There were pages of criminal history, including arrests for “false statements to induce agreement for home improvement services” and “bad checks” dating back to 2012.

Conklin, it turns out, was already in jail, accused of committing the same crime in December.

“It’s kind of satisfying to know he’s getting what he’s getting 'cause that’s what he deserves. That’s just like him coming in and stealing my wallet, " Sauers said.