Air conditioner repairman sought by Tulsa Police

Here's a warning to anyone needing an air conditioner repaired or replaced this summer. <br><br>Tulsa Police have issued four felony warrants for one repairman's arrest. At least one of his customers

Thursday, May 23rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Here's a warning to anyone needing an air conditioner repaired or replaced this summer.

Tulsa Police have issued four felony warrants for one repairman's arrest. At least one of his customers says he took her money but never did the work. News on Six crime reporter Lori Fullbright has her story.

Heidi Webb is no fool, she knows to only hire people who come highly recommended and to give money only to people you've worked with in the past and trust. Which is why she felt comfortable giving Mike Garrison $2,000 as a down payment on a new air conditioner. "He had been reliable and done good workin the past."

Heidi says Garrison even signed a contract showing she'd paid the money and what equipment he'd install. But, time went by and no new air conditioner. "One excuse after another starts. The equipment was back-ordered, then, he said he received it, but, it was raining and he couldn't come out. Then, he didn't answer my pages for a week and his cell phone was disconnected and I started thinking something stinks."

A police report shows Webb's neighbor had paid Garrison $1,500, but he continuously cancelled appointments and did not perform the job. Webb says that neighbor even drove to Garrison's address. " A neighbor told them he'd left 3-4 months ago and left them high and dry and there was a long line of people to serve him summons and warrants."

Four of those warrants are through Tulsa Police, for bogus check, probation violation, obtaining money by false pretense and embezzlement by a contractor. â€œIt's caused a hardship for us. We have a narrow budget and we saved for a whole year with a not so good air conditioner so we could get a new one. Now, we need one and I don't have all the funds."

The Webbs and their neighbor filed a police report and plan to start civil action too, but they've given up hope of ever seeing their money again. Instead they just want to warn others so, this doesn't happen to them.

Lori Fullbright says Mike Garrison didnâ€™t return her numerous calls and pages. If he does call us, we'll let you know what he says.