CLEARWATER, Fla. — Greater than three dozen unlicensed contractors have been arrested and charged after a two-day undercover operation by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Workplace, Clearwater Police Division, and different businesses.
In accordance with Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the arrests have been made to guard folks from being ripped off and from the hazards of shoddy, unlicensed work.
“The vast majority of ‘em — they’re not even from right here,” he mentioned. “They’re coming in from exterior the world to take advantage of our residents and our companies.”
It’s not even the primary time he’s locked up unlicensed contractors because the storms. His workforce arrested dozens extra in Madeira Seashore two weeks in the past.
“As they’d say, sadly, it’s capturing fish in a barrel. There’s a lot of it on the market, it’s not laborious,” the sheriff mentioned.
In accordance with Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy, one of many unlicensed employees arrested in the latest bust was getting ready to do a $200,000 job.
Gualtieri mentioned one other was promoting demolition work however truly doing electrical work too.
The sheriff mentioned the variety of arrests within the Clearwater bust will seemingly exceed 40. He mentioned six of the 38 arrested to date are undocumented immigrants, and one of many six was within the means of being deported on the time of his arrest.
You’ll be able to confirm a license by visiting www.pinellas.gov/contractor. You too can name the county’s Client Safety division at 727-464-6200.