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On March 6, Tim Patterson, who has been a
leading garage door technician for Garage Door
Services (GDS), was bound over for trial in
San Diego Superior Court on nine counts of
felony residential burglary and nine counts of
theft, most of which are felonies. All charges
allege primarily that Patterson took financial
advantage of customers in the amounts
he charged for his garage door work. His
company, based in Dallas, Texas, was exposed
in our fall 2015 cover story, “The worst garage
door company in the nation.”
The lead prosecutor in the case is Paul
Greenwood, deputy district attorney and the
head of the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit
of the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted on all counts, Patterson faces a
possible sentence of 10+ years in state prison.
Greenwood said that the residential
burglary charges allege that
TOP GDS* TECHNICIAN CHARGED
WITH MULTIPLE FELONIES
CHARGES PERTAIN TO OVERCHARGING
SENIOR CITIZENS FOR GARAGE DOOR REPAIRS
Patterson “entered a residence with the intent
to steal.” At the March 6 hearing, nine of
Patterson’s customers testified, along with
three other San Diego-area door dealers who
had inspected Patterson’s invoices and work.
Eight of the nine testifying customers were
senior citizens.
Sample invoice from Patterson
In our fall 2015 cover story, one of Patterson’s
invoices was published (below). This invoice
was given to a 90-year-old woman in San
Diego, charging her $2,126.80 for parts and
$2,059.89 for labor on a three-hour service
call. After a few other charges and discounts,
the total was $4,274.
For that price, the customer received
only a hardware overhaul on one door, a new
opener, and the normal related service. Many
dealers might charge $750 or less for the
same service.
A closer look at the charges
The invoice contains several items that
double- or triple-charge
for the same item or service. Specifically, this
elderly woman was charged $459.98 for two
torsion springs, another $259.99 for “Torsion
System Deconstruction,” $269.99 for “Torsion
System Reinstallation,” $299.99 for “Track
Reset and Alignment,” and $199.99 for “Door
Balance.” Other hardware charges (rollers,
brackets, cable, drums, etc.) totaled $766.87
plus another $139.99 for a “Lifetime” parts
warranty, $189.99 for “Lube and Tune Service.”
For the opener, a LiftMaster 1/2-HP
screw drive opener with rail and a 3-button
transmitter, Patterson charged her $719.97 plus
another $199.99 for “Motor Service,” $199.99
for “Garage Door Motor and Accessorie (sic)
Installation,” and $37.52 for “Remote/Keypad
Reprogramming.”
Other charges included $29.99 for
“Removal and Disposal of Materials,” another
$25.00 for “Garage Opener Haul Off,” and
$99.95 for “Recycling, Disposal, and Fuel.”
Yet, she received $198.81 in “discounts.” As
reported in our fall 2015 article, Patterson
would have been praised and even rewarded for
such an invoice.
Top gun
According to a former GDS employee,
Patterson made more than $300,000 for
himself in 2015 and was rewarded with
a trip to the GDS Christmas
party at the company’s Dallas
headquarters. Several internal GDS
records praise Patterson as a “top
gun” for high invoices.
The service for this one invoice
was provided on June 2, 2015,
under GDS’s California contractor
license (#927739). At that time, that
license was under suspension. The
Contractors State License Board
(CSLB) reported that GDS was
not allowed to perform any work
while under suspension. Yet there
is evidence that Patterson was
active constantly throughout the
suspension period.On March 6, Tim Patterson, who has been a
leading garage door technician for Garage Door
Services (GDS), was bound over for trial in
San Diego Superior Court on nine counts of
felony residential burglary and nine counts of
theft, most of which are felonies. All charges
allege primarily that Patterson took financial
advantage of customers in the amounts
he charged for his garage door work. His
company, based in Dallas, Texas, was exposed
in our fall 2015 cover story, “The worst garage
door company in the nation.”
The lead prosecutor in the case is Paul
Greenwood, deputy district attorney and the
head of the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit
of the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted on all counts, Patterson faces a
possible sentence of 10+ years in state prison.
Greenwood said that the residential
burglary charges allege that
TOP GDS* TECHNICIAN CHARGED
WITH MULTIPLE FELONIES
CHARGES PERTAIN TO OVERCHARGING
SENIOR CITIZENS FOR GARAGE DOOR REPAIRS
Patterson “entered a residence with the intent
to steal.” At the March 6 hearing, nine of
Patterson’s customers testified, along with
three other San Diego-area door dealers who
had inspected Patterson’s invoices and work.
Eight of the nine testifying customers were
senior citizens.
Sample invoice from Patterson
In our fall 2015 cover story, one of Patterson’s
invoices was published (below). This invoice
was given to a 90-year-old woman in San
Diego, charging her $2,126.80 for parts and
$2,059.89 for labor on a three-hour service
call. After a few other charges and discounts,
the total was $4,274.
For that price, the customer received
only a hardware overhaul on one door, a new
opener, and the normal related service. Many
dealers might charge $750 or less for the
same service.
A closer look at the charges
The invoice contains several items that
double- or triple-charge
for the same item or service. Specifically, this
elderly woman was charged $459.98 for two
torsion springs, another $259.99 for “Torsion
System Deconstruction,” $269.99 for “Torsion
System Reinstallation,” $299.99 for “Track
Reset and Alignment,” and $199.99 for “Door
Balance.” Other hardware charges (rollers,
brackets, cable, drums, etc.) totaled $766.87
plus another $139.99 for a “Lifetime” parts
warranty, $189.99 for “Lube and Tune Service.”
For the opener, a LiftMaster 1/2-HP
screw drive opener with rail and a 3-button
transmitter, Patterson charged her $719.97 plus
another $199.99 for “Motor Service,” $199.99
for “Garage Door Motor and Accessorie (sic)
Installation,” and $37.52 for “Remote/Keypad
Reprogramming.”
Other charges included $29.99 for
“Removal and Disposal of Materials,” another
$25.00 for “Garage Opener Haul Off,” and
$99.95 for “Recycling, Disposal, and Fuel.”
Yet, she received $198.81 in “discounts.” As
reported in our fall 2015 article, Patterson
would have been praised and even rewarded for
such an invoice.
Top gun
According to a former GDS employee,
Patterson made more than $300,000 for
himself in 2015 and was rewarded with
a trip to the GDS Christmas
party at the company’s Dallas
headquarters. Several internal GDS
records praise Patterson as a “top
gun” for high invoices.
The service for this one invoice
was provided on June 2, 2015,
under GDS’s California contractor
license (#927739). At that time, that
license was under suspension. The
Contractors State License Board
(CSLB) reported that GDS was
not allowed to perform any work
while under suspension. Yet there
is evidence that Patterson was
active constantly throughout the
suspension period.