CONTACT: SUSAN TOLCHIN (914) 995-2932

KIERAN O’LEARY (Public Safety) (914) 864-7858

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 28, 2008

UNLICENSED CONTRACTOR ARRESTED, VAN SEIZED BY COUNTY POLICE

First such seizure under new Consumer Protection Law

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety arrested a Yorktown contractor this week and seized his van – the first such seizure conducted under a new Westchester County consumer protection law.

The new law allows police to impound any vehicle or seize any equipment being used by contractors found to be operating in Westchester without the necessary license from the Department of Consumer Protection.

"The seizure law is an important new tool in our effort to rid the county of unlicensed home improvement contractors," said Gary Brown, director of Consumer Protection.  "This was the first-ever seizure in Westchester, but it won't be the last.  Let the unlicensed contractor beware."

The arrest Wednesday of Jason Grotsky, owner of the Door Doctor in Jefferson Valley, was the second time in a week that Grotsky was charged by county police.

Grotsky was first charged on Feb. 20 when Detective Daniel Carfi of the Environmental Security Unit observed a commercial van on the Saw Mill Parkway. The van was stopped and further investigation showed that Grotsky was operating a garage door business without being properly licensed by the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection.

Grotsky, 36, of 3663 Lee Blvd., Yorktown, was charged with Violating the Laws of Westchester, a misdemeanor. His employee, Joseph Norris, 41, of Beal St., Stamford, Conn., was arrested for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and issued several Vehicle and Traffic summonses. Norris also had an active warrant out of New York City for a drug charge, and he was later picked up by detectives from the NYPD.

On Feb. 26, ESU received a tip that the "Door Doctor" would be repairing a garage door the next day in Peekskill. Yesterday morning, ESU Director Ron Gatto, Detective Carfi, and ESU Inspector Allen Carroll went to a home on Constant Ave. in Peekskill and found the Door Doctor repairing a garage door.

The investigators determined that Grotsky still did not have a Consumer Protection license, nor had he applied for one since his previous charge. He was again charged with Violating the Laws of Westchester and was additionally charged with operating an unregistered vehicle.

Grotsky’s 2003 Ford van was impounded under the seizure law, which was enacted by the Westchester County Board of Legislators on Nov. 27, 2007.

The law permits police officers or employees or agents of the Department of Consumer Protection to seize and impound any vehicle, tool or other implement which is being used by a contractor operating in Westchester without the proper license.

Grotsky was released on $600 bail. He is scheduled to appear in Peekskill City Court on March 13. He also will receive hearing before the Department of Consumer Protection within five businesses days where he can contest the charges and the impoundment.