A Winters, CA, auto body shop owner was convicted on multiple counts of theft for failing to complete restoration and paint work on five classic vehicles, resulting in a total loss of $90,000 for his customers.
Keith Scott Williamson, owner of Winters Auto Body and Paint Shop, was found guilty Aug. 7 of four counts of grand theft and one count of petty theft after a jury trial, according to a news release from the Solano County District Attorney Office. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 4.
The convictions stem from a pattern of behavior between 2017 and 2020 where Williamson accepted payments for extensive work on classic cars — including three Ford Mustangs, a Jeep and a Chevrolet pickup truck — but performed only minimal repairs before abandoning the projects.
The vehicles were left in various states of disrepair at the shop for months or even years. When customers requested refunds, Williamson reportedly provided a series of excuses for the delays.
Williamson refused to provide refunds to all five customers, who then resorted to filing complaints with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), a division of the California Department of Consumer Affairs and the primary regulatory body responsible for licensing, oversight and enforcement of auto repair shops in the state. All such shops are required to be registered with BAR and must follow specific protocols designed to protect consumers.
The BAR mediates and investigates consumer complaints, and in cases of alleged fraud or misconduct, such as the Williamson case, these complaints can lead to formal enforcement actions, including license revocation, fines and criminal prosecution.
