SAN MATEO – Three men from Virginia are under arrest in San Mateo County after police said they took part in a roofing scam that defrauded elderly residents on the Peninsula.
According to the San Mateo Police Department, officers launched an investigation in Nov. 2023. Investigators learned that a group of men who purportedly had “Irish accents” operated a fake construction company called “Statewide Roofing and Siding.”
Police said the suspects used a fake contractor’s license, performed work that was likely not needed and overcharged for work that was not completed.
Investigators worked with other police departments in San Mateo County and found additional victims of similar scams, police said.
On May 7, San Mateo police received a report from another victim who said that he believed that the company he hired to fix the roof of his mother’s home was scamming him.
The victim said after a “free” inspection, the company initially determined that minor repairs were needed. Eventually, the company said that additional work was needed and finally suggested that the entire roof needed replacement.
Investigators learned that the suspects had used fake names and used another company name “Teco Roofing and Masonry”. All three suspects were contacted by police the next day and were arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.
San Mateo Police Department
The suspects are identified as 22-year-old Charlie Anderson, 39-year-old David Anderson and 40-year-old Darren Temple. All three men are residents of Herndon, Virginia, a suburb in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Police said the suspects are facing charges of theft from an elder or dependent adult, obtaining money by false pretenses, fraudulent use of a contractor’s license and conspiracy.
Jail records show that all three men remain in the San Mateo County Jail as of Thursday, with their next court appearance set for May 22.
Police said Thursday that they are searching for additional victims. Anyone who may have had roofing work done with the companies are asked to contact Officer Thornburg of the San Mateo Police Department at 650-522-7650.
Tim Fang is a digital producer at CBS Bay Area. A Bay Area native, Tim has been a part of the CBS Bay Area newsroom for two decades and joined the digital staff in 2006.