If you bought a car here, you may want to call cops

A now-shuttered auto dealer in York Township has been ordered to pay a fine along with thousands of dollars in restitution to nearly 200 customers, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.

The $430,000 fine was levied against Dean M. Lake and D&M Auto Sales. The small lot on East Prospect Road at Cape Horn Road closed last year shortly after York Area Regional Police said they were investigating the business.

Lake was ordered to refund 194 customers a total of $113,198 for unlicensed activity including overcharging customers on fees, a news release from the department states.

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The Department of Banking and Securities looks more at how auto dealers finance car loans, not how much they charge to sell a vehicle, said Ed Novak, a press secretary with the department.

Lake has 10 days from the May 19 order to appeal. As of Wednesday morning, no appeal had been filed, Novak said.

Reviewing installment loan files, the department found that D&M altered signatures and amounts and also failed to accurately represent customers' down payments, the department's order states.

Meanwhile, York Area Regional Police continue to investigate the business, saying that they have heard from "hundreds" of alleged victims.

Last September, the department said it executed a search warrant at the business. At the time, they were looking for evidence of "suspected crimes."

No formal charges have been filed, nor have any arrests been made, York Area Police Sgt. Peter Montgomery said Wednesday.

"I felt like the state helped us out here a little bit and put something down on them," he said. "Unfortunately, it might take law enforcement a little longer to get to an end...we will get there."

He continued, "I'm glad people can see the amount so far that was stolen from these people, and there's fines that go with it."

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York attorney Chris Ferro is representing Lake and has also reviewed the state department's order, and said he was not surprised.

"There's no intention to go back into the business," Ferro said. "This is the end of the road, and how this particular order affects this defunct business is something that will be looked at a later date."

Ferro said Lake voluntarily closed the business himself.

"We have been cooperating with various departments of the state and local law enforcement for months, and will continue to do so," he said.

Lake has 30 days from May 19 to pay the $430,000 fine, the order states.