PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Bensalem police said a contractor took more than $150,000 in down payments from three Bucks County homeowners, then disappeared without finishing the jobs.
Bensalem Director of Public Safety William McVey said two homeowners in Bensalem and one in neighboring Middletown Township hired Shawn Hagan of Hagan Home Concepts and paid him a combined $178,000.
“For work that was partially or never completed, and it's been an absolute nightmare for them trying to get this work completed, get their house back in order. He has made no attempts to do so or to pay them back, which has led to the criminal charges in this case,” McVey said.
McVey said they’ve already heard from two other homeowners who are having similar issues with Hagan.
“And we believe there could be many more out there that were in contracts with Mr. Hagan for the same type of fraud that need to come forward so we can hold him accountable.”
McVey said the 46-year-old from Edmund Street in Philadelphia has turned himself in to face charges including felony home improvement fraud and theft by deception.
According to charging documents, Hagan told police he never meant to defraud anyone; he just got in over his head. And despite taking more than $100,000 from one homeowner, he never purchased any job materials, despite claiming he had.
McVey said best practice is to look up contractors to check their work history, call past clients, and only agree to reasonable down payments with clearly defined material costs and timelines.
