Cops: Ex-BK employee arrested for scam

A Bellport man was being held without bail Monday, charged with grand larceny after, police said, he took an advance payment of $15,000 for work at a Remsenburg residence, and then never did the work.

Southampton Town police said Edward L. Zapata, arrested Sunday and arraigned Monday morning, claimed he was a service technician for Burner King Inc. of Ronkonkoma.

However, police said, it turned out Zapata, 42, had not been employed for the company for seven months before the deal -- and had falsified the paperwork used to broker the deal.

Police said Zapata had negotiated the deal in July, estimating the home needed about $22,000 worth of work. Police said he then had the family sign "a Burner King proposal" and had them sign checks over to him for a deposit on supplies for the job. Those checks totaled about $15,000.

Police said that after receiving the deposits, Zapata ceased all contact with the victim.

Zapata, who pleaded not guilty, was remanded to Suffolk County jail. He is due back in court Friday.

Criminal records show he was sentenced to prison time after previously pleading guilty to charges including grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

With Patricia Kitchen