Lakehurst contractor charged with scamming Toms River victims out of $150K

TOMS RIVER− A 35-year-old Lakehurst man is alleged to have taken more than $150,000 from people seeking home repairs without providing any of the work, authorities said.

Robert Cohan has been charged with theft by deception and several counts of failing to register as a home improvement contractor in the scheme.

From February through May, Cohan solicited residents of Gardens of Pleasant Plains, an age-restricted community, offering to provide driveway, sidewalk and roof work and other repairs, police said.

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Cohan, fraudulently using the name of his family's construction company, collected initial deposits and later asked for more money, but failed to do any of the work, police said.

After his arrest by township Detective Robert O'Neill, Cohan was taken to Ocean County Jail in the township where he remained Thursday night.

Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news, local issues and investigations. Reach him at kserrano@gannettnj.com or at 732-643-4029.