Staff Reports

Upland – An Upland man was recently arrested for conducting numerous scams throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, but was recently released. Police officials are looking for additional victims.

The first known scam occurred on July 25 when a victim contacted a reputable pool repair company from the City of San Bernardino. The suspect, identified as Todd William Karcher, 49, told the victim he was a new employee. He then gave the victim an “estimate under the company name, and a separate estimate under his name for additional work,” according to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.

The victim ultimately agreed to have Karcher do the work and gave him a personal check of $1,500, which was labeled as a deposit. “Karcher cashed the check the following day and never contacted the victim or refunded the money. The victim attempted to obtain a refund from Karcher but was unsuccessful,” said a SBSD news release.

After an investigation, it was learned that Karcher was fired from the reputable pool company for scamming other victims in Riverside County and San Bernardino County.

This resulted in Karcher being arrested and booked for theft charges on August 10 at the 11600 block of Lozano Place, Loma Linda. However, he posted bail and was released from custody at 10 p.m. that same night.

Anyone who has had recent contact with Karcher is encouraged to call the Central Station and speak to Detective Ruiz at (909)387-3545. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.