Hammerman. Handyman

I met him thru my neighbor (his aunt) when he was helping her do work to her house for free. Her house was in disarray and I thought he was very stand-up and cool for doing that work. He also put in a bathroom for my other neighbor and he has previously built two structures for me here last year- a large chicken enclosure which was completed and a wood storage shed, which was never completed, I was owed 5 hours on that to put a floor into it. It remains without a floor and is not useable at this time. We were supposed to be finishing that off. Never happened. I have purchased 660.00 worth of lumber unused (not including what I already had for the chicken coop) Purchased 252.00 worth or excellent gardening dirt which remains unused. Purchased 325.00 worth of fencing remains unused. He worked 5.5 days (June 19-22 and June 28 and ran off during June 29th) and I paid him 1400.00 - on that last half day he was here, he suddenly ran off, leaving behind personal items and a couple tools in a manic way. He said that he did this because I "did not like the way the chicken coop came out" There were issues and he did a poor job, but it is a great little coop and I told him that day when he left that I was happy and everything was fine, we even hugged and I thought everything was fine. I am a very easy going person, anything is fixable and not worth stressing about. I will always go out of my way to make things right by talking and certainly not into drama. The next day he sent me a text saying he thru 400.00 dollars in my mailbox and that I hated the coop. I again sent an immediate text saying "I LOVE THE CHICKEN COOP" and asked why in the **** would he throw money into my mailbox? That is so unsafe and unprofessional. I asked him why did he not call and talk to me because we had a close relationship and he knew he could talk to me about anything. At this point I saw that the money I had set aside for these jobs was misplaced (did not immediately jump to the conclusion that he would have stolen it - it did not occur to me at all) Since we had become friends I just thought he was "stressed" and he said he would be coming back to finish work all thru the following week, thru texts, he was working at other jobs but would schedule me in.....a week later he stopped communicating with me completely and then it dawned on me.... because I noticed that LARGE sum of money (that I had taken out of the bank specifically to do all this work and pay him) what was left was all cash, 6000.00 total dollars was missing.... I FREAKED I also noticed/realized that all the steaks I had been missing out of my chest freezer - totaling at least 200.00 dollars did not just mysteriously disappear over the previous months. Light bulb moment. I also discovered some very rare glass art/collectibles missing which is the most disturbing thing to me, irreplaceable things. Realizing these huge items missing and the fact that he was probably responsible made me severely physically ill. I have since been to the emergency room and various doctors over the stress and physical deterioration of my body from this egregious event. I tried every thing I could to prove myself wrong and protected him by not saying anything to anyone while I dealt with this with no support. I waited til August 7th, allowing myself to TEAR APART my house searching for signs of the missing items or my "friend" to reconnect and come finish the work. Neither happened. So I sent a phishing sort of text to him saying, hey why did you take off so suddenly and totally? What's up. He replies that the "debacle" with me left him in serious financial jeopardy (tho he was working straight thru June and during the time he did not return to my house at different jobs. So I said, well if that was true, why did you not come back and finish these jobs and make money by working? Then I told him same day that I was aware of his theft of 6000.00 dollars from me. Aware of the stolen meat/steaks/short ribs etc. and then the missing collectibles/rare art pieces. I live alone, moved here 4+ years ago, I do not have family or friends here. NO ONE has been in my house many months before or since all this happened. JUST HIM. No break ins, no signs of foul play. All sorts of other valuables laying in plain sight were ignored and things were picked thru just taking certain items while leaving others. He actually stayed overnights while he worked here and was the only one with any access AT ALL to my property. He did not have a key, but was left alone here during work hours. He works alone, no employees to blame. I trusted him and never expected felony theft. I have visited the Pennsylvania State Police barracks N (Troopers Welch, Fiorrie and Boston can be contacted to verify) a couple weeks ago and they are currently investigating him. I graciously gave him the opportunity to come clean to me, and I would not ever tell anyone about his predatory ways if he made good. I gave him a few days to think about it and that if he refused to work with me like an upstanding God fearing man, I would resort to going to the police and using every online, legal, official channel to spread this story far and wide. He chose the latter. I have forgiven him for my own comfort and sanity. I believe that Love Is The Answer and have chosen to move forward from here, but I feel the need to let anyone else who may consider hiring him know the truth and to think twice before letting him into their personal space. He was not a stranger and this breaks my heart that he could do such damage to another person especially a "friend". I pray he finds the truth in his heart and steps into the light of love and seeks healing. I have no idea how to finish this work. I do not know anyone who I can ask to help me who has skills and is trustworthy. I would be at the mercy of strangers because I have no contacts here and it is very rural. He has left me in quite a bind on top of the theft.