<i>6:40 update:</i> 3 Vineland residents indicted in insurance fraud

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6:40 update: 3 Vineland residents indicted in insurance fraud

By JOHN MARTINS Staff Writer, 856-794-5114

Published: Thursday, July 17, 2008

BRIDGETON - A grand jury Wednesday indicted three Vineland residents on insurance fraud charges for allegedly staging a carjacking to collect a claim on a "stolen" car.

According to the five-count indictment, Dennis Caraballo, 28, and his girlfriend, Kristen Smith, 30, conspired with another man, 43-year-old Craig Likanchuk, to carry out the plan at a Wawa store in Vineland. They did so Oct. 3, 2005, authorities said.

On the same day, Caraballo, of Foster Avenue, filed a report with the Vineland Police Department alleging the bogus theft of his 2005 Toyota Scion. Smith, of New Pear Street, reported the theft again four days later.

According to a news release from the Attorney General's Office, investigators at the State Farm insurance company began to suspect fraud after they surmised that Likanchuk just drove the car away. They denied the claim and referred the matter to authorities.

Likanchuk, who formerly lived at an apartment on South East Avenue in Vineland, is currently serving a three-year prison term at the Zephyrhills Correctional Institution in Florida on robbery charges.

All three were charged with conspiracy. Caraballo and Smith were charged jointly with insurance fraud and attempted theft by deception. Caraballo was further charged with false swearing, for stating under oath that Smith had been carjacked and with falsifying records.