Police: Con Artists Dupe Couple Out of Wedding Bands, Jewelry

An Upper Montclair married couple was conned out of their wedding bands, thousands of dollars of jewelry and more by two people claiming to be roof repairmen, according to Montclair Police. 

The husband and wife were in their home on Upper Montclair Avenue on Feb. 13 when a man and woman knocked on their door at 1 p.m. who purported to represent the company that installed the roof on their home a decade ago, according to police. 

The repairmen claimed to be father and daughter and represent Matheson Construction out of Little Falls. They also referred to the male homeowner by name, according to reports. 

The man told the homeowners that they were driving by and noticed some roof shingles that were peeled back. He said he would inspect the roof and inside of the home for any leaks. 

The husband showed the man around the home to check for water damage while the wife talked with the female in the kitchen, according to reports. 

The repairman reportedly asked the male homeowner to wait on the first floor and watch for any water leakage while he went on the roof. After about 20 minutes, the repairman returned and said he was able to fix a few areas on the roof. 

When the married couple asked to pay for the repairs, the two con artists stated they would send them a bill in the mail, according to police. 

It was not until the next day that the female homeowner noticed the following pieces of jewelry missing:

• Platinum 2-karat engagement ring
• Two platinum wedding bands with diamonds across the top
• Platinum 1.5-karat engagement ring
• Gold ring with a sapphire and diamond
• Platinum ring with pigeons blood ruby 
• Gold ring with opal stone

Police estimated the stolen jewelry to be worth thousands. The couple also reported an older-style safe missing which contained legal documents, according to police. 

The man was described to be between 45 and 55 years old, Caucasian with a light complexion, about 5-foot 9-inches tall and having dark salt and pepper hair, according to reports. 

The female was described as Caucasian with fair skin, about 5-foot 7-inches tall, of medium build with short dark brown hair, according to police. 

Anyone with information should call the Montclair Police Department’s Detective Bureau at (973) 509-4724.