Incident Overview
Ontario homeowner Janu Shu was arrested after trying to hold a paving company accountable for allegedly damaging his driveway without permission. The situation unfolded as Shu discovered his driveway torn up by workers he did not hire.
Unauthorized Paving Work
On May 14th, workers ripped up Shu’s driveway without his consent, leaving no documentation or signatures. The business card left behind falsely identified the company as Royal Town Construction.
Real Company Impersonated
Costa Alexopoulos, the supervisor of the real Royal Town Construction, clarified that his company was not involved. Upon realizing the impersonation, Alexopoulos visited the site and filmed the fraudulent workers fleeing, leaving behind machinery and equipment.
Police Involvement
Shu contacted Peel Regional Police, who began a fraud investigation due to multiple similar complaints from neighbors. However, subsequent officers unaware of the fraud case returned, leading to Shu’s arrest when he refused to release the left-behind roller, which he was holding as collateral.
Shu’s Arrest
Surveillance footage captured Shu being arrested and placed in a police car while officers allowed the owner of the roller to retrieve it. Shu spent six hours in jail, feeling mistreated and confused by the police’s actions.
Company Response
Alexopoulos confirmed that his company did not call the police about the roller and noted that his company uses much larger machines. He continues to receive complaints about another company using Royal Town Construction’s name, warning customers to verify the identity of any workers before agreeing to services.
Conclusion
Shu plans to have his driveway properly repaired by the legitimate Royal Town Construction. Peel Regional Police are investigating the incident further, aiming to resolve the confusion and hold the fraudulent parties accountable.
