Roofers rearrested in alleged repair scam

Scam-weary homeowners, take heart - cops say the ruthless roofers are back behind bars.

Brothers Mark and Gary Trager, owners of Santini Contractors, were rearrested Thursday night and charged with multiple counts of fraud, theft and related charges for scamming 10 people out of $6,524 in deposits for roof repairs, police said.

The brothers, both 51, were previously arrested on Feb. 2, for allegedly taking deposits from five homeowners and never bothering to do any work for the money.

Mark Trager turned himself in to police late Thursday night, not long after police arrested Gary at his home, said Sgt. Brian Sprowal of South Detectives.

The pair had cast a wide net across the city and Delaware County, allegedly swindling victims ranging in age from 39 to 86.

"Several of those elderly people were living on fixed incomes and certainly couldn't afford to be taken for a ride," Sprowal said.

"Hopefully, when they have their day in court, there will be some form of restitution."

Sprowal said investigators are teaming with a number of agencies, including the Better Business Bureau, the state attorney general's office and district attorney's office, to dig up other possible acts of fraud by the Tragers.

"We're looking at the possibility that they had other companies under different names, dating back to the 1990s," he said. "They've been doing this for years."

Sprowal encouraged consumers who think they may have been victimized by the pair to contact South Detectives at 215-686- 3013. *