Lewes Man Arrested For Home Improvement Fraud, Bethany Beach, DE

Residence in the unit block of Beach Plum Drive, Bethany Beach, DE
Date of Occurrence:

Monday, November 30, 2009 through Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Defendant, Charges, and Arraignment Information:

Kevin S. Klabe, 42, Lewis, DE (pictured)
Home Improvement Fraud
Theft over $100,000.00
Failure to Pay Contractors within 30 days
Victim:

68 year old Lewes, DE man
Resume:

Bethany Beach- Delaware State Police detectives have arrested a Lewes home builder after he failed to complete work on a home in Bethany Beach.

The investigation into the incident began on June 5, 2012 after a 68 year old Lewes, DE man notified state police detectives in reference to a possible home improvement fraud. The victim advised detectives that on November 30, 2009 he had entered into a contract with Kevin Klabe, owner of Klabe Homes in Lewes, DE. The contract stated that Klabe was to be the general contractor for renovations that the victim requested on a home in Bethany Beach, DE. During the following six months, the victim paid Klabe a total of $230,500.00. As the general contractor, Klabe was to then pay several sub-contractors who had performed work on the home. The victim, however, learned that Klabe failed to pay the sub-contractors and also failed to complete the work on the home as promised.

Detectives obtained warrants on Kevin Klabe for the above list of charges. He turned himself in at Troop 4 on June 26, 2012. Klabe was then arraigned at JP Court 2 and released on $34,000.00 unsecured bail.