Arrest made in Craigslist hot tub scam

By: Staff reports | Statesville Record & Landmark
Published: February 01, 2012

A man wanted in connection with a Craigslist scam involving the sale of hot tubs is now in custody.

Troy Lee Waters was arrested late last week, just hours after the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office sent out information about warrants for his arrest.

According to the sheriff’s office, a victim reported that they inquired about a hot tub for sale on Craigslist, and ultimately paid $1,500 for the hot tub. Later they discovered the hot tub did not exist.

Detectives received calls from other counties in North Carolina as well as Virginia and South Carolina, all telling a similar story, Sheriff Phil Redmond said. The victims said Waters had bought hot tubs from them and written bad checks to cover the purchase, Redmond said.

Within a few hours of releasing the information about Waters on Friday, Redmond said, a tip came in through the Crime Stoppers line indicating Waters was living in Charlotte.

The sheriff’s office, along with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the ICSO warrant squad, found a vehicle believed to be operated by Waters at an apartment complex in south Charlotte, Redmond said.

After a couple of days of surveillance, authorities located Waters on Sunday and took him into custody.

Waters’ bond was set at $225,000 on charges from North Carolina, and an additional $250,000 for a fugitive warrant issued by the state of Virginia.