Canada Wide Warrants Issued for Fraud Suspects

Canada-wide arrest warrants have been issued for two individuals that were involved in a driveway paving scam that took place in the Durham Region during the summer.

Between May and July, 2008, the Durham Regional Police- Fraud Unit received dozens of reports from citizens about a paving scam.  The complaints involved two paving companies- Belcon Construction and Hiway Maintenance.  In this scam, the suspects would approach individuals at their homes and ask if they wanted their driveway paved, as the company had left-over asphalt from a nearby job.  After the victims agreed, the individuals would pave the victim's driveway and then demand a much higher amount of money than agreed upon for the job.  In many cases, the victims were elderly and felt pressured into paying the greatly inflated amount.  In other cases, the victims were threatened with bodily harm if they didn't pay.  In many cases, the suspects drove the victims to the bank and waited with them whiley they got a certified cheque.

As a result of the investigation, five people were arrested and a warrant in the first instance was issued on July 10, 2008 for numerous criminal offences including Fraud Over $5,000, Threaten Bodily Harm, Extortion, Conspiracy and Intimidation.

On October 28, 2008 warrants for Michael White and Martin Goodwin were upgraded to Canada Wide because the investigators determined the men had left Ontario and were now conducting the same driveway paving scam in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

These men are currently in the country illegally and are known to stay at trailer parks.

Investigators are asking for the assistance of the media in locating these two suspects so they can be returned back to Oshawa to face the charges against them.  Their last known whereabouts is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but they may have moved west.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Michael White or Martin Goodwin is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Stone of the Durham Regional Police at 1-905-579-1520 extension #5283 or Crime Stoppers.