A Mount Carmel man who bilked a Tamaqua woman out of thousands of dollars for contracting work he never completed is accused of swindling another victim, Tamaqua police said.

In the latest case, Tamaqua police were contacted on Aug. 1 by a Market Street man who claimed Thomas Anello, 52, was supposed to work for him but failed to do so.

The man said he signed a contract with Anello on May 25 and paid him $768.25 to do work. Police said wrote Anello two additional checks totaling $1,850 for the work. While the work was mostly done, the victim said it was done poorly.

Police said the victim also hired Anello on July 18 for a second job of doing work underneath a deck. He did not have a contract with Annelo but paid him $675. Anello did not do the work or contact the victim after he was paid.

The victim told police he recently read a newspaper article about how Anello deceived a borough woman out of more than $80,000 for home improvements that were never completed. He said he thought it was ironic because Anello had mentioned the job and said the woman was happy with the work he was doing.

Police charged Anello with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, false statements to induce agreement for home improvements, and receiving advance payments for services that were not completed.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13 before Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer, Tamaqua.

Anello is free on $50,000 cash bail.