Contractor accused of stealing $250K arrested
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — A contractor accused of stealing over $250,000 is in custody, the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday.
Jason Pirl was wanted after at least 11 alleged victims in Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties said they paid him for projects he never started.
After several investigations, the sheriff's office said deputies found Pirl in a parking lot in Smithton. They said they believe he'd been living out of his vehicle in an attempt to hide.
🚨Man accused of thefts amounting over $250K in custody‼️ This morning, Deputies with the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s...
Posted by Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, November 29, 2022
One victim told KDKA-TV last year that Pirl never did the work he was paid for and sent multiple text messages saying he'd had a heart attack, been exposed to COVID-19 and had a death in the family.
Wendy Weaver told KDKA-TV on Wednesday that she just wants justice for everyone. She said she hired him to work on her Fayette County home and deck. She said Pirl took her for $28,000.
Weaver said after Pirl got the cash, all he gave were excuses for why the work wasn't getting done.
"First, he had a heart attack the day he was supposed to show up," Weaver said. "Then his daughter got in a car accident. Then he got covid, then his whole crew got covid. Then he went out of town."
District attorneys in three counties have filed warrants against Pirl: One in Somerset County, two in Westmoreland County and eight in Fayette County. The sheriff's office said Pirl will be held in the Westmoreland County Prison on multiple warrants.
Jody Costello is the force behind Contractor From Hell. After allegedly getting ripped off by a contractor, she became an advocate for consumers who face the same problems.
"When the contractor asks for a large amount of money upfront for a down payment, red flag number one," Costello said.
Costello says contractors will try to entice customers by giving discounts for cash payments. She said don't do it.
But that's just one red flag. What about contracts?
"That contract doesn't have any details in it," Costello said. "It may have one or two pages with it."
"You need to make sure that everything that you want to be done is in the scope of that contract," she added.
Costello also said to make sure your prospective contractor is insured.
"Every state requires a surety bond for every contractor to be licensed and issued by that state or county."