RV fraud investigation widens as OPP confirms more than 15 complaints

Victims of alleged fraud at an RV business in Tilbury, Ont., are speaking out. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell reports.

Provincial police say an investigation into alleged fraud involving a Lakeshore, Ont., recreational vehicle (RV) business has expanded to more than 15 victims and may involve boats and other vehicles in addition to travel trailers.

Const. Steve Duguay, with the Essex County OPP, said what began as “a couple complaints” has grown significantly in recent days, with police receiving additional reports within the last 24 hours.

“We’re still in the infancy stages of the investigation,” Duguay said.

“We’re in excess of 15 complaints coming forward now, and we had more in the last 24 hours that we’re looking to see if they’re connected with this same fraud investigation.”

Police first announced on Wednesday they were looking into complaints involving a business in the 20000 block of County Road 42, where customers say they left their RVs for consignment or winter storage but later discovered the units were missing.

Duguay now said the scope of the investigation appears broader than initially believed.

“With the information that we’re receiving, it’s not just recreational vehicles,” he said.

“It may include watercraft and perhaps other vehicles, all-terrain vehicles. If you’ve had anything in consignment or storage at this facility, look into it.”

The OPP Crime Unit is leading the investigation and has assigned several members to the file.

“Our investigation is fully inclusive of all aspects of what we can look into,” Duguay said.

“There could be a reach into Chatham-Kent, possibly Lambton County, Elgin County, even Middlesex County.”

One of the victims, Mary Hunter, said she learned her trailer had been sold without her knowledge — and had even been transferred into someone else’s name.

“I found out a month later my trailer had been sold, put in somebody else’s name, and that someone also had a loan on it,” Hunter told CTV News, noting the trailer now has two liens on it.

“Financially, mentally, emotionally — it’s absolutely exhausting.”

Hunter said she has contacted lawyers; her bank and the financial institution tied to the second loan but remains without answers and fears she’s out $70,000.

“Every time I open a door, it gets slammed in my face,” she said.

“I can’t believe a business that’s been in operation for over 30 years could do something like this to so many people.”

The repercussions extend beyond those who lost their trailers. Laurie Scott, who unknowingly purchased Hunter’s trailer, said buyers are now left in limbo as well.

“All we did was walk into a business and buy a trailer,” Scott explained.

“None of the safety procedures that should be in place were there for us. We were protected in no way.”

Scott said she and her husband learned the trailer they purchased had been reported stolen while they were on their way to a family funeral.

“We looked at each other and thought, ‘Oh my God, what is happening here?’” she said.

“We’re victims too because we don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re stuck with this big loan, and we’re afraid we could lose the trailer.”

Scott is urging other purchasers to come forward.

“They’re talking about the people who lost their trailers, but not about the buyers,” she said.

“We didn’t know these belonged to someone else.”

Police are asking anyone who consigned or stored an RV, boat or other recreational vehicle at the business — or anyone who believes they may have purchased a unit connected to the investigation — to contact the OPP.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers.

No charges have been laid.

CTV News has reached out to the business for comment. The message wasn’t returned and police won’t say who the suspect is in the investigation.