-- Undercover work by CARII-member Bureau of Automotive Repair inspectors nails fraudulent technicians
Date: 10/26/2009
Say you have a 1990 Ford that needs to pass a smog test. Done honestly, the vehicle might cost a pretty penny to bring into compliance. But what if you could find a friendly technician who could run a 2000 Honda through the test and hand you a clean bill of health for a much cheaper price?
The scam is called clean-piping, and 12 technicians at seven smog shops in Santa Clara County have been convicted of felonies thanks to the diligent undercover work of CARII-member inspectors with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). "It's not only fraudulent, but it's an air quality issue, too," said Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for BAR, to the San Jose Mercury News.
"Our members at the Bureau of Automotive Repair, non-sworn, like many CARII members, continue to perform undercover work and file criminal cases," said Bruce Hotchkiss, president of the California Association of Regulatory Investigators and Inspectors. "One of these days, they might actually be recognized as the environmental police."
The full Mercury News article can be read at the link below.
For more information:
http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13609169?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com
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