A Villager is being held without bond at the Lake County Jail after allegedly triple billing a snowbird from Michigan for a rental home.
The snowbird put an ad in The Villages newspaper indicating he was looking for a rental home for February 2017.
Richard N. Hendricks, 80, of The Villages, responded to the snowbird’s ad and offered to rent him a home at 1209 Maria Court in the Village of Del Mar for $3,000 per month.
On Dec. 17, the snowbird mailed Hendricks a check for $3,000. He had also sent a $1,000 deposit.
Hendricks contacted the snowbird and told him the rent check had not arrived and that he was in jeopardy of losing his $1,000 deposit. On Dec. 23, the snowbird sent another $3,000 check. Once again, Hendricks contacted him and told him the check had not arrived. On Dec. 27, the snowbird sent a third $3,000 check, this time by certified mail. He soon learned that Hendricks had signed for the check.
When the snowbird received his bank statement, he discovered Hendricks had cashed all three $3,000 checks. When he requested the return of $6,000, Hendricks said, “No,” according to documents on file in Lake County Court.
During the month of February, the snowbird had two guests stay with him at the house in the Village of Del Mar. Hendricks ordered the snowbird to provide him with the names and dates of birth of his guests. When the snowbird asked why, Hendricks responded, “Don’t play hardball with me, do as I say.”
The snowbird went to the police with copies of the canceled checks and a warrant was issued for Hendricks’ arrest.
Hendricks has been in and out of local jails repeatedly over the past 12 months. You can read more about him HERE
