Possible scam involving asphalt work investigated

The Sheriff’s Office responded to Mangrove Mama’s restaurant on Sugarloaf Key on Thursday regarding a possible fraud that occurred.

The manager there told Sgt. Evan Calhoun that two white men in their mid-20s arrived in a white Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle and approached him. The men claimed to do asphalt work. The manager requested an estimate, but the men provided none. The manager said the men came back later with a crew of four men and began asphalting the front parking lot. The manager stated he never authorized the work. When they were done the suspects requested $12,000 in payment. The manager refused, stating he never authorized the work. The men then lowered their price to $4,000. The manager again refused to pay and called the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the matter further.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday, the City of Key West posted a scam alert to their Facebook social media page warning the community to beware of an unlicensed company claiming to have extra asphalt and soliciting paving jobs. The City of Key West states the work is not up to code and the company is not licensed by the state.

The Sheriff’s Office also reminds residents and business owners to always verify that any contractor is licensed and report work that is unauthorized or under code.

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