WESTFIELD – A city man may have learned that there is, indeed, no honor among thieves after a man he met and befriended while incarcerated was released and took advantage of him and his property.
Det. Scott Phelon reports that when Timothy Jones, 39, of no fixed address, was released from jail a man he met there allowed him to live in his trailer.
Phelon reports that the victim allowed Jones access to his trailer on the understanding that the man would start paying rent when the resident was also released from incarceration but Jones apparently had different ideas.
The victim had asked Jones to take custody of his wallet which was being held in Westfield District Court and Jones, once armed with the resident’s identification and ensconced in his trailer, ran amok until he was reined in by a plethora of criminal charges brought by Phelon.
The detective reports, in a court document, that Jones rented his benefactor’s trailer without the owner’s knowledge.
Not content to take rent money from one ‘tenant’, Phelon reports that Jones rented the trailer to a total of three parties, all of whom subsequently identified Jones as the person they gave money to.
“The parties did not know each other, and each believed they were renting out the whole trailer,” Phelon reported.
With access to the victim’s checkbook, Jones reportedly used it to rent property from a local store.
In addition, Phelon reports, Jones also took advantage of his absent friend by using his debit card at least eight times, withdrawing almost $3,000 from the victim’s bank account.
While he had control of the trailer, the detective reports, Jones stole property which had been there. The property, with an estimated value of several thousand dollars, included a firearm.
Jones’ spree came to an end when he was arrested on unrelated charges while driving the vehicle he had registered in the victim’s name.
He was arraigned in Westfield District Court on Monday before Judge Philip A. Contant on five charges of improper use of a credit card for value more than $250, four charges of larceny of property valued more than $250 by a single scheme, three charges of improper use of a credit card for value less than $250, two charges of identity fraud and single charges of uttering a false check, larceny of property valued less than $250 by a single scheme, forgery of a check, larceny of property valued more than $250 and larceny of a firearm.
He was held in lieu of $2,000 cash bail pending a Dec. 22 hearing.
