CJ’s Tire & Auto Service struggling after theft, fraud

NEWPORT — CJ’s Tire & Auto Service on JT Connell Highway isn’t something extravagant.

There is no espresso machine or huge display screen tv, reported Mark Gorman, a devoted shopper. With manager Rick Edwards and proprietor Carl Russell, CJ’s Tire is “an outdated-fashioned, truthful automobile repair store that treats its prospects suitable and builds a extensive-time period marriage,” Gorman mentioned in an email to The Each day Information.

“I have confidence in them to the moon and again. Rick will work tough to get components at a fair selling price and he never, at any time attempts to offer you a repair service you really do not need to have. He normally prices you an correct price tag for a repair service and he sticks to that price, no issue what.”

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Susanne Working day is a different very long-time buyer who has set her believe in in Russell and Edwards for several years. When she labored near by, they’d even give her a journey to her position of employment although her car was serviced.

“They’re just so reasonable,” Day claimed. “They’re so easy to speak to. I under no circumstances experience like I need to store around.”

“It is horrible what has took place to them,” Gorman said.

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Community man dealing with charges for theft and fraud

Newport police billed a 24-year-outdated Middletown guy with 4 felonies, alleging he swindled 1000’s of pounds from Edwards individually, as well as from CJ’s Tire.

Police say the man in October 2021 stole $20,938 from the car store in the form of a variety of fraudulent checks. That’s one particular demand. One more cost stems from the man’s allegedly fraudulent use of Edwards’ credit score card, also in October of past yr or around that time.

In November and December 2021, and January of this yr, police also allege he stole additional than $10,000 from the enterprise. Police billed the man with conspiracy to commit larceny by fraudulent checks.  

The person didn’t enter pleas in District Court on Feb. 9, which is standard for felony scenarios heard in District Court. Bail was set at $15,000 with surety, or $1,500 dollars. Courtroom records suggest the male did not make bail and was transferred to the Grownup Correctional Establishments in Cranston. A screening is scheduled for March 24.

‘This just about place me out of business’

Edwards is however crunching the numbers and evaluating the economic hit.

“This just about put me out of organization,” Edwards reported. “If it wasn’t for some of the mates I bought, I’d be actually undesirable suitable about now … We’re continue to attempting to get better in this article. We’re holding our head above water a tiny little bit, but that is about it.”

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The man charged with the crimes did not get the job done for the vehicle store, but Edwards reported he hung out there and “helped out as soon as in awhile. Serving to when I scrubbed the floors and stuff … basically he gained our trust.”

“He had some mates arrive in listed here. I did perform on their cars,” Edwards stated. “He brought us some organization. But he stole additional than he introduced us, let’s place it that way.”

Edwards does not know however irrespective of whether he’ll be in a position to recover the allegedly stolen funds. “Now I know why people today get their identities stolen, they just file bankruptcy and end it,” he reported. “It’s so annoying.”

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“Never experienced a issue like this,” Edwards stated. Russell, the owner, is sick and “really upset about it … He does not need to have to be dealing with the tension.”

The alleged incidents have upended Edwards’ existence in myriad means. It is a small workforce at CJ’s, and now the store is open up Saturdays by appointment to attempt to make ends meet.

“I’m 55 a long time outdated now,” Edwards said. “I do not want to be performing six days a 7 days underneath a motor vehicle.”

The pressure of the monetary woes is just about crippling. “All this has retained me up,” Edwards claimed. “Not sleeping or consuming or anything.”

It is leveled his personal ideas, way too.

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“I experienced a best credit score ranking: 800. And now my credit score score is in the bathroom. I couldn’t even lease an apartment if I desired to. My credit score rating’s so poor … I planned on getting a dwelling this year, (but he) screwed me out of that, much too.”

Requested if he thinks he can stay in enterprise, Edwards said: “I’m making an attempt, with support from my close friends. I’m undertaking the finest I can, but it couldn’t transpire at a worse time of 12 months. Taxes and everything else.”

Additionally, this arrives after the Pell Bridge ramp reconfiguration past summer disrupted organization for CJ’s Tire. That “really killed us,” Edwards claimed. “That was like a motocross down below for awhile … My buyers (did not) even want to come down this road.”

At this place, Edwards is just hoping for much more organization to enable offset the financial pressure he’s beneath.

“I imply, I’m hanging on listed here,” he explained. “I acquired buddies that set it all out on Facebook. I’ve gotten some do the job out of it. Men and women have known as me for perform. I just hope it retains going. I just hope this male receives what he warrants.”

How to safeguard by yourself from fraudsters

“Watch your things and who’s all around it,” Edwards warned. “I received my bank accounts now the place my cellular phone will ding, let me know if someone’s hoping to get in or just about anything else.”

Listed here are some tips for banking on the net safely, by using the Washington State Department of Economic Establishments: 

• Protect your electronics with passwords. The passwords ought to be at minimum eight figures extensive and include things like a mix of quantities, symbols and upper and lowercase letters. Improve your passwords each 3 months.

• Use multi-aspect authentication, which means you acquire access to your unit only following properly delivering two or additional items of info.

• Never continue to keep your accounts logged in. When you happen to be performed with on-line banking, log out.

• Prevent banking on community Wifi, which isn’t essentially safe.

• Keep away from accessing your bank account on a shared laptop or computer, or a personal computer that is not your very own.

• Test your account consistently for unauthorized expenses or withdrawals. Report any fraudulent costs to your bank immediately.

• Report dropped or stolen credit history cards to your economical institution correct absent.