Jack Mellon warns cowboy builders are rife in Carluke

CARLUKE businessman Jack Mellon is warning that cowboy builders are rife in Carluke and targeting vulnerable and elderly people more than ever before in a bid to make a fast buck.

The JM Services boss (47) is furious with the bogus workers, and claimed that one brazen crook even spraypainted the JM Services logo and telephone number onto his white van before pretending to be Jack Mellon when trying to lure in unsuspecting customers.

"This one person has copied my van to an absolute tee," said Jack, who has worked from his Clyde Street base for 24 years.

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"He waits to see when I'm working in the area then goes to an adjoining area to say he's been sent there by JM Services.

"There was one recent example in Carluke where he chapped on a partially blind woman's door and said he was me. He ended up taking 700 off her for cleaning her gutters.

"She was extremely traumatised by the whole thing.

"The conduct of crooks like this is deplorable and sickening, but also galling because local people can initially think they're going to get a bargain but end up being ripped off.

"This problem is worse than it's ever been and detrimental to local businesses and the economy.

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"Incidents like this one are happening on a daily basis in Carluke. I've gone to the police but they say they are not interested because cases like this are a civil matter."

For more information on this article, see this week's Carluke Gazette which is in the shops now.