CONOVER, N.C. — One homeowner’s plight of being ripped off is serving as a cautionary tale for others to ensure they’re hiring professional roofing contractors for roofing work.

WBTV, a CBS affiliate in Charlotte, N.C., shared the story of a roofer in Catawba County who was moonlighting as a break-in artist before being arrested and charged with multiple felonies. Reporters spoke to Michael Arrowood, who hired Ian Mauck of Assurance Roofing and Restoration to fix his leaky roof.

According to Arrowood, he came across the company after meeting Mauck’s brother while selling used car parts. They came to an agreement that Assurance Roofing would install either a hip or gable roof. Arrowood paid nearly $7,000 up front from his insurance company for the work.

Mauck’s brother, listed as an insurance claim specialist with the company, initially handled most of the work. Arrowood said when his dad, who has experience in the construction industry, came by and took a look at the roof, they realized it wasn’t a hip or gable.

Upon learning this, Arrowood told WBTV he confronted Mauck’s brother, who in turn walked off the job. Mauck became involved at this point, saying his brother was no longer a part of the company.

“He text me a couple days later and says that he’s not going to be able to do the build-work or the frame work because he’s not a ‘builder’ he’s a ‘roofer,’” Arrowood said.

Mauck then tried to collect a $3,000 cancellation fee, which is when Arrowood reached out to WBTV to investigate. Reporters revealed that another resident of Catawba County filed a criminal summons against Mauck for failing to complete work after paying him more than $3,500.

The investigation also revealed that, shortly after Arrowood hired Assurance Roofing, Mauck was arrested in July for stealing from nine cars. Prior to this, Mauck spent more than four years in prison for a variety of felonies and larcenies. A news report from 2016 confirms Mauck was charged with eight felony counts of breaking and entering, one felony count of obtaining property by false pretenses, eight misdemeanor counts of larceny and three misdemeanor counts of credit card fraud.

Perhaps most shockingly, WBTV reported that Assurance Roofing was formed Jan. 30, 2019, which was roughly six months after Mauck’s projected release date from prison.

Arrowood shared his advice for any other consumers out there looking to have work done on their roof.

“The one thing I would do first is that if I have anybody getting on my roof I’m definitely going to do some background checks,” he said. “Any kind of job you’re doing like that should be done by a licensed contractor.”

Tales like these are why states have worked to ensure residents are protected from scam artists and unlicensed contractors. In April, Alabama had its Home Builders Licensure Law go into effect to include a so-called “roofers license.” In Texas, legislators put a new law into place to prohibit roofing contractors from waiving an insurance deductible.

In North Carolina, a state license is required for any jobs worth $30,000 or more and you must be pre-approved before taking the exam.