Investigators Longueuil renovate his house in surprise

Photo Chantal Poirier
The basement of Colette Martel has been completely inundated by 2016, so the renovations will have to be recommenced from the beginning.

Frederique Giguere

Saturday, 30 September 2017, 07:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 30 September 2017, 07:00

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The victim of a fraud of $ 90,000, which is a threat to his dream of welcoming those with intellectual disabilities, a sexagenarian of Saint-Hubert will have the surprise of his life this morning when a fifty police officers and workers will land in it to re-enter his house.

“This is one of the victims of the most touching and vulnerable that I’ve seen in my career. It is an angel and he tore his wings. I had wanted him to stick it back, ” explained the sergente-detective Cécile Lefebvre, police de Longueuil, who had implemented the project and met dozens of volunteers.

Photo Chantal Poirier

Cecile Lefebvre.
Sergente-detective

This angel is Colette Martel, a patient care attendant who works 75 hours per week to reach the two ends.

“It’s not so bad, it goes by so fast when you love what you do,” says the friendly lady of 69 years of age, who has been a victim of his generosity boundless.

In the spring of 2016, Ms. Martel has agreed to host a friend of his son said to be in financial difficulty. Soon after, an important water damage has made it his residence almost uninhabitable.

Entrepreneur improvised

His chambreur he then proposed an exchange of service : the condition of being fed and housed for free, it was to renovate the entire house. But the man was rather improvised contractor and would be appropriate for all the economies of Colette Martel.

Fortunately, the appraiser of the insurance company came to see the extent of the damage noted that she seemed to be completely under the grip of his “entrepreneur” during his visit. He decided to contact the police to share his fears.

The file was referred to the sergente-detective Lefebvre. When she went to knock at the lady, “contractor” was alone in the house and put long minutes before opening the door. He even took the care to call his lawyer.

Non-compliance with the conditions

“He was arrested because he was in breach of conditions for other folders “, tells the story of the police who has 27 years of experience.

At the end of a few months of analysis, one could establish that the suspect would have bled more than $ 90,000 to the lady by using all kinds of tactics.

“I am ashamed, I feel I have been negligent “, has blown Ms. Martel. His savings gone would allow him to fulfill his dream of becoming a host family for people with an intellectual disability following the death of her husband two years ago.

“Give to others, it is what gives me the strength to continue, she said. I’ve done it all my life and I’ll do it as long as I can. “

But his project is unthinkable in the present state of his house.

When The Newspaper met her this week, she was unaware of the plan hatched by the investigator Lefebvre for repair. She was already grateful.

Regain confidence

Since the arrest of the alleged fraudster, the sergente-detective was involved in that Ms. Martel regain confidence. The two women had developed a relationship akin to that of a mother and her daughter. When they speak to one another, they cannot help but have wet eyes.

“I’ve never had this much support in my entire life, said the sexagenarian. It has changed my life. “

This affection is clearly mutual, since Cécile Lefebvre has spent the last four months planning the surprise that he will this morning.

Touched by the story of madame Martel, contractors and work colleagues were joined to it. They will perform throughout the weekend the work necessary to repair his house and allow him to fulfill his dream of becoming a host family.

♦ Note that the volunteers should go and knock at dawn at Mrs. Martel, or even before she can take knowledge of this article, has assured the police of Longueuil.

Other potential victims

Photo courtesy

Mathieu Tardif.
Accused

Police in Longueuil believe that Colette Martel is not the only victim of the alleged fraudster.

Mathieu Tardif, 31, has been charged with theft over $ 5,000, false pretences and fraud at the beginning of September in the folder of the lady of 69 years.

According to the sergente-detective Cécile Lefebvre, he would have found all kinds of ways to extort money from the one who had taken her in. Most of the time, he would not have paid in full the labor that it committed in the name of Ms Martel. It would also have convinced companies to inflate the invoices, in order to likely to pocket the balance.

Sexual assault

Late has often had to deal with the justice in the past few years.

He was already waiting for a few trials, including on charges of sexual assault, assault with a weapon and fraud.

♦ Any person having relevant information on Mathieu Tardif can communicate confidentially with the police of Longueuil 911.