Roofing scam hits
isle residentsPolice say a fugitive from California
may be working on Oahu
A California fugitive who allegedly poses as a fix-it man and targets elderly victims may be working his scams on Oahu, according to Honolulu police.
Within the last two weeks, police have investigated two cases, in Honolulu and Manoa, involving elderly victims paying for roof work and other house repairs to a suspect who leaves the job incomplete.
Efram "Pudgy" Miller, 40, allegedly stole almost $20,000 cash from an elderly California couple last year, according to San Francisco Police Department officials. Police allege that Miller and his brother, Sam Miller, 48, offered to do some roof work and painting for the couple -- a 97-year-old man and his 83-year-old wife -- but instead took the money and left their home in worse shape than before.
San Francisco police arrested Sam Miller in October on charges of burglary, theft, and crimes against the elderly; however, Honolulu police said his brother is believed to be here and working a variation of the same scam, and using one of his brother's aliases.
In one of the Oahu cases, the victims told police they were taken advantage of by a "Sam Costa," one of the aliases of Miller's brother.
The other local case involved a victim giving the suspect a $250 check for repair work, but $2,500 was cashed out of the account after the suspect altered the check, police said.
According to a Dec. 1, 2003, San Francisco Police Department news release, fraud Inspector Greg Ovanessian said the brothers are "home repair scam artists" who tend to operate during the rainy season.
Ovanessian described them as "offering a great price for roofing or general contracting repairs, as well as painting, driving repairs, etc., they will often demand more money after the job is completed, claiming additional work was required or the cost of additional material necessitated the higher cost."
"The scam artists do substandard work at best and may even cause damage to the house," he said. "Often they use home repair as a means to gain entry to the house to commit theft.
"These con artists are particularly intimidating toward the elderly."
Efram Miller is wanted on a theft warrant from California, and police said he frequents Hawaii.
Miller, who is also known as Louie Clark and Ephriem Mario Miller, is 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 150 pounds, with a medium build, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a mustache.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.
Police also advise homeowners to not feel pressured to have home repair work done; to ask for references and call the references for feedback; and to get a written estimate. The estimate should have the name, address, telephone number and license number for the contractor.
