CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), along with law enforcement partners, conducted the day-long investigation in September after identifying potential suspects who were then invited to bid on various home construction projects at a predetermined location. Two people were served with criminal charges for illegal contractor activities. These two individuals both had outstanding warrants for contracting without a license and were arrested at the scene.

Unlicensed contractors arrested in this operation may also face additional charges for advertising their construction services without the required license. Under California law, it is illegal to advertise construction or home improvement work without having a valid license in the classification being advertised. When advertising contract services, unlicensed persons must specifically disclose their lack of a license and may not bid on a job with a value of more than $500, including labor and materials.

Registrar David Fogt reiterated CSLB's commitment to consumer protection: “Our primary goal is to protect consumers from the risks associated with unlicensed contractors. As part of this effort, we make it a priority to educate the public on the importance of hiring licensed contractors and verifying their license before entering into a construction contract.”

He also highlighted state law that imposes limits on down payments and down payments for home improvement projects. Deposits are limited to 10% of the total project cost or a cap of $1,000, whichever is less. Advance payments may not exceed the value of the work performed. Failure to comply is considered a misdemeanor, potentially punishable by one year in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.

For more information or to report suspected unlicensed contractor activity, please visit the CSLB website at www.cslb.ca.gov or contact CSLB toll-free at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752). For ongoing information and updates from CSLB, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Photos: San Carlos Sting Operation

About CSLB: CSLB operates under the auspices of the Department of Consumer Affairs and is licensed and regulated approximately 285,000 contractors in California.
Source: CSLB

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Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is recovering from surgery after he was attacked by a hammer-wielding intruder at the couple’s home in San Francisco.

Mr Pelosi, 82, suffered a fractured skull and injuries to his right arm and hands. He is “receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery,” spokesman Drew Hammill said.

The attack on the spouse of the third-most senior politician in the United States has sparked concerns about political violence ahead of the midterm elections on 8 November.

The suspect, David Depape, 42, is said to have tried to tie Mr Pelosi up and demanded to know “where’s Nancy?”, according to reports.

US President Joe Biden described the attack as “despicable” and denounced a corrosive political climate for contributing to violence. “Enough is enough is enough,” he said during a speech in Philadelphia. “Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against the violence in our politics, regardless of what your politics are.”

In the hours following the attack, the US government put out a bulletin to law enforcement across the nation warning of a “heightened threat” of domestic violent extremism against candidates and election workers driven by individuals with “ideological grievances”.

The attack on Mr Pelosi is being treated as attempted murder. A motive has not yet been fully determined, but San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said the attack was “intentional” and not random.

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Mrs Pelosi – who was on the other side of the country in Washington DC at the time of the assault – flew back to see her husband in hospital.

A spokesman for the senior Democrat said Mr Pelosi had been attacked in the early hours of Friday morning “by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker”.

San Francisco Police are leading the investigation and are working with the FBI and US Capitol Police.

Ms Pelosi, the highest-ranking Democrat in Congress, was in Washington at the time of the assault, according to US Capitol Police.

The suspected attacker has espoused extreme right-wing views on social media, including conspiracy theories about Covid-19, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing law-enforcement officials.

He also allegedly posted videos from Donald Trump ally and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, as well as theories on the 6 January attack on the Capitol.

DePape also posted links to YouTube videos with titles like “Democrat FARCE Commission to Investigate January 6th Capitol Riot COLLAPSES in Congress!!!” and “Global Elites Plan To Take Control Of YOUR Money! (Revealed)”.

Politicians from both sides of the political divide have condemned the attack.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow Democrat, said in a statement: “What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act.

“I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said he was “horrified and disgusted” by the attack on Mr Pelosi.

He tweeted: “Grateful to hear that Paul is on track to make a full recovery and that law enforcement including our stellar Capitol Police are on the case.”

The White House said President Joe Biden was “praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family”.

There is mounting concern about the safety of politicians in the US almost two years after a mob of pro-Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in January, 2021.

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Broken into business three times in two days

A longtime business owner’s excitement about moving their business to a brand new building is now being dampened by frustration.

SEATTLE – A longtime business owner’s enthusiasm for moving their business to a brand new building is now being dampened by frustration. The new headquarters for Best Plumbing on the 8800 block of Aurora Avenue North was broken into three times in two days this week.

“We have been a member of the Seattle ward for 50 years. I am the second generation owner and I just loved staying in the community. We serve a lot of businesses here and we just feel like Seattle is our home, ”said Bill Lilleness, owner of Best Plumbing.

They had outgrown their Fremont location and bought land five years ago to build their new mixed-use facility. After a city permit process that was described as “laborious”, they were finally able to move in the entire office staff last Saturday and set up their computers and workplaces.

On Monday, they found that thieves had stolen laptops, cell phones, monitors, televisions, and other electronic devices valued at around $ 20,000.

The best burglar suspects in the plumbing industry

Their surveillance system showed that two groups of break-in suspects entered the building at different times on Sunday evening. The first two suspects to see bicycles bypassed the building’s security system using a master standard code around 8:30 p.m. and then took the elevator to the second floor. They opened an office door with a crowbar. The thieves left with their bags full of stolen electronics.

Seattle police describe the suspect as a white man with shaggy brown hair, of average stature, wearing blue jeans, a yellow-green backpack, and a brown hat. The second suspect is a possibly Hispanic male with short black hair, slim stature, a tattoo on his right forearm and wrist, and a black t-shirt.

Then, at 3:10 a.m., two more suspects entered the building.

The best burglar suspects in the plumbing industry

“A new group comes back and they enter the building the same way and crack the elevator the same way to get upstairs. That was when the two big screen televisions were stolen, ”said Lilleness.

Police describe the first suspect as a white man of average stature wearing a purple and white plaid shirt, white jeans, and multiple necklaces. The second suspect is described as a white or Asian man of average stature who wears a light gray long sleeved shirt with buttons, glasses and part of his hair dyed green.

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering a cash reward of up to $ 1,000 for clues leading to the arrest of one of the suspects.

“These people have probably told many about these break-ins. It is obvious to me that two different suspects, two different times when they start this deal, someone is spreading the message, which means that they are talking to each other because they are either passing these codes or saying how to do it, ”Ret said . Det. Myrle Carner with Crime Stoppers from Puget Sound.

The best burglar suspects in the plumbing industry

Meanwhile, Lilleness has reprogrammed the system and changed the codes to get into the building. He also hired armed security guards. That turned out to be a smart move on Monday night when a fifth suspect entered the building with a key card stolen during the previous night’s break-ins.

The suspect was immediately arrested and told police that he had received the key card from a man in a homeless camp that stretches along the sidewalk behind Best Plumbing.

Lilleness says he is concerned about the safety of his employees who have to park nearby and is considering long-term security options. Still, he says he tried to be a good neighbor, thinking that more jobs and new construction in the area could help the local community, which has a long history of drugs and prostitution.

He says they even invited Debora Juarez, a Seattle city council member, to its opening last weekend.

“My wife tried to email her twice only to say we were new to the neighborhood. We’re kind of proud of what we’ve built here. We hope this is a light on a hill so that we can have a little variety in the neighborhood. We never heard from her office, ”said Lilleness.

I have asked Councilor Juarez for a comment but have not yet received a response. Now, Lilleness says they plan to contact her again to remind the city council that businesses and local residents may leave Seattle if proper police and security are not a priority.

Lilleness wants all burglar suspects to be held legally accountable, but has little confidence that they will remain in jail after being arrested.

“It’s kind of where our city council and city attorney are going to allow this type of anarchy,” he said.

So if he had to do it all over again, would he build there again?

“Great question. Shoreline or Lynnwood looks better, ”Lilleness said.

If you can identify one of the burglaries for the Seattle Police Department, send an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound using the P3 Tips app on your mobile phone or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can also submit photos and information at www.P3Tips.com. Crime Stoppers pays a cash award of up to $ 1,000 for information that results in an arrest in the case.

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