Crime & Safety

Suspect In Contractor Theft Turns Out To Be Sex Offender

Caledonia man hires a contractor he found on Craigslist to put in a patio, but the contractor turned out to have a warrant out for his arrest because he's a sex offender whose probation was revoked in Kenosha County.

A Caledonia man unknowingly hired a convicted sex offender from Craigslist to do a construction job, but the job never got started.

Robert Brown, 38, of Burlington, is suspected of contractor theft after he allegedly took off with the man’s money and didn’t do the work. After the man filed a complaint, a detective with the Caledonia Police Department learned that Brown’s probation status was revoked in Kenosha County and he currently has a warrant out for his arrest.

This week, officials with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department told the Caledonia detective that Brown’s wife had kicked him out of their home and his probation was revoked in October. Deputies with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department tried to arrest Brown, but he fled on foot into a cornfield behind his home and a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department.

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Brown operated his company under the names of Budget Painting and More, and Brown & Associates Home Improvements and Contracting.

The homeowner paid Brown $1,000 to put in a concrete patio in October 28, 2011. After cashing the check on the same day, Brown told the homeowner on Nov. 4 that the weather had prevented him from doing the work that day. Five days later, Brown still hadn’t returned to do the work and the homeowner called the police.

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According to the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry website, Brown was convicted of sexual abuse in 2002 in Illinois. He was under community supervision and his probation officer told the detective that Brown was court ordered not to go door-to-door to operate his business because of being a sex offender.

Brown is described as five-foot eight-inches to 5-foot 10-inches tall, 35- to 40-years-old, 150 to 164 pounds, and balding with brown hair.

If anyone has any information about Brown, please call the Caledonia Police Department at (262) 835-4423.


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