Woman’s stolen driveway mystery exposed as scam that left contractor out thousands

A Tennessee homeowner trying to sell a renovated property was shocked to discover her entire concrete driveway had been stolen, leaving her with a costly mystery to solve.

Paige Batten, a realtor who purchased the home in 2024 as a flip project, said the discovery came after a potential buyer called to ask when the driveway would be completed. Batten responded that the driveway was already there, only to learn it had been torn out sometime on November 14.

First reported by Local 3 News, witnesses in the neighborhood claimed multiple trucks and heavy equipment were on the property for roughly two hours the morning of the heist. Residents described a truck with a trailer, a dump truck hauling a backhoe, and another truck with additional equipment. Many assumed the crew had been hired to perform legitimate work.

Local 3 News

Driveway stolen in broad daylight

Batten said she contacted the non-emergency line to report the removal but struggled to explain the situation because of how unusual it sounded. She added that some people believed early photos of the missing driveway were AI generated until they visited the home in person.

Neighbors told reporters they saw or heard machinery lifting the concrete but never questioned the activity because it appeared routine. One resident said she saw workers taking up the driveway while taking her kids to the bus stop.

Batten believes the crew may have simply gone to the wrong address, but if no one comes forward the replacement could cost her around $12,000 USD. She said her priority is finding whoever performed the work so the mistake can be corrected without leaving her responsible for the bill.

Missing driveway turns out to be elaborate scam

New details have emerged in the bizarre driveway theft after investigators determined the incident was part of a scam that targeted both the homeowner and a local contractor. The latest developments were first reported by Local 3 News.

The clues eventually led to Donnie McSears, owner of McSears Concrete Finishing, whose crew was captured on neighbor security cameras removing the driveway. However, McSears said his company was not responsible for the theft and had instead been tricked by a scammer posing as the property owner.

McSears told reporters that a man identifying himself as Dean Williams contacted him by text requesting the driveway removal and promising to send a fifty percent deposit before work began.

Williams also allegedly asked McSears to cover a separate two thousand dollar furniture bill, claiming it would be reimbursed later. Despite repeated attempts to meet in person, Williams insisted he was an out-of-town owner.

Before starting the job, McSears said his crew double-checked the address with Williams, who confirmed they were at the correct house. After the driveway was removed and hauled away, both McSears and realtor Paige Batten realized something was wrong and connected the dots.

Batten explained that scammers often overpay for jobs and then request refunds before payments clear, leaving contractors responsible for the loss.

In an effort to resolve the situation, McSears and his crew returned on Thursday and repaved the driveway at no cost to Batten. The scam has reportedly cost his company thousands of dollars.