(Belleville Intelligencer) – July 17, 2008 -- The man police believe is behind a carpet-cleaning scam in Belleville was pepper-sprayed and arrested, Wednesday.

Earlier in the week, police issued a warning about the scheme after receiving close to a dozen complaints from city homeowners.

In the scam, the man appeared at the front door of homes, ostensibly to give a price on cleaning carpets but police said he was really after money and bank and credit cards. During his ‘estimate’, he would walk around the interior of the home, on the lookout for cash, credit cards or valuables.

If left alone, he would rummage through drawers and snatch up anything he could find before leaving, police said.

Officers on patrol in the city’s east end Wednesday located a suspect shortly before 5 p.m.

When approached, police said he provided a false name and had to be pepper-sprayed when he struggled with officers during his arrest. A 39-year-old Belleville man is facing a long list of charges including several counts of break, enter and theft, (im)personation and resisting arrest.

At the scene, officers seized a stolen credit card.

While the man is due for a bail hearing today in Belleville - at which time police will release his name - detectives assigned to the case are continuing to investigate.