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Last updated on Monday, February 8, 2016
(LINTON) - A Linton man is accused of bilking three New Jersey companies out of more than $2,200.
Greene County deputies arrested 36-year-old Jared R. Chambers Thursday night on two Level 6 felony counts of theft and a Class A misdemeanor theft.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Chambers allegedly made email contact with three New Jersey-based companies via email to sell a parr reactor.
Police were contacted by Phoenix Equipment Company, based out of Red Bank, New Jersey. The company sells and purchases equipment. They were going to purchase the parr reactor from Chambers.
According to the emails in December 2015, Chambers agreed to sell the piece of equipment to the company for $1,000. The following day, Chambers signed an electronic purchase order. Phoenix Equipment Company wired the money to Chambers, but the piece of equipment was never sent.
The company contacted Chambers several times to inquire about the equipment and requested tracking information for the package. But, on December 10, Chambers contacted the company and said the item was no longer available. Chambers reportedly asked for information to refund the money.
About a week later, the company once again tried to contact Chambers, this time to say if they did not receive the refund check by the following day, a collections department would handle the matter and pursue criminal charges.
On the evening of December 18, Chambers contacted Dan Oleary (with Phoenix Equipment Company) by email, stating, "due to your breach of contract, payment of the refund has been canceled."
He further explained that the breach of contract was due to "your attempt to unlawfully change terms by threats and intimidation, and your wish to void contract and pursue premature legal action."
A Greene County detective spoke with Chambers at his residence.
Chambers told police that he sells computer equipment as a source of income. Chambers advised that he purchased the piece of equipment from an auction, and had invested about $10 into it. He told the detective that he had arranged to sell the item to the Phoenix Equipment Company, but another buyer EcReCon Equipment out of Penns Grove, N.J. had offered him more money. After canceling the order, Chambers advised the officer he told the company he would not refund the money due to the threat of legal action.
Chambers allegedly later told the detective that he had made arrangements to refund the money, but nearly a week later the company told police that didn't happen.
Police contacted EcReCon, who advised that they agreed on December 2 to pay Chambers $1,500 for the item. Initially, they sent a check with half the agreed amount ($750) to Chambers and agreed to pay the remainder upon receipt of the item.
Email correspondence showed Chambers later notified EcReCon the item was no longer available and would refund the money within 15 business days, but it was never sent.
Chambers contacted the company stating the refund was unacceptable and he would no longer have any communication with company personnel.
The EcReCon representative sent a few more emails in the coming weeks, with no response.
On February 1, O'Malley reportedly spoke with another New Jersey company that had sent money to Chambers for the same item. Equipment Xchange Company, out of Hammonton, advised they sent $500 of an agreed upon $1,000, with the remainder of the money sent once the item was received.
Jared Chambers electronically signed an invoice for this transaction on January 11. That same day Chambers contacted Equipment Xchange and stated, "this isn't going well and he would refund the money."
As of Janruary 26, Equipment Xchange had not received its refund either.
Chambers was arrested Thursday and is being held on a $9,000 bond with 10 percent cash allowed. An initial hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. today.
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